A Moment Too Late
by Jayeliwood
Summary: Edward was too late, and now they both have to deal with what happened. What will come of that night and is Bella as okay as she say she is? EPOV, slight OOC, AU. Reedit
1. Chapter 1

_**This is important, so please read.**_

**This is a reedit of my story Too late. I read over it recently, and I was rather disappointed in my writing, even if I enjoyed writing the story idea. So, what I've decided to do is go back and add, rearrange, and work out some of my kinks in this story. I'm going to try and get quite a bit ahead so I can update it everyday. This was the first major story I'd ever done, and I want to do it justice. I'm sure if I go back in a year and read this version of it, I'll find more mistakes. I feel my writing has improved, and I hope you feel the same way. I know a lot of my readers came across me with Blind, and never read this story, even if it did well on it's own. I hope my new readers give it a chance, and my long time friends read it again and give me honest opinions on the changes. **

**Also, I am in the hospital. And, I am lucky enough for them to have wifi. But, I am not up to doing anything more complicated then editing. I'm on enough medication that I just feel... worn down. I'm going to be taking a short break (two weeks) from my other stories. I don't know how long I'll be in here, but it might be a while longer. So, this is what I'm going to be doing in the mean while. **

It had taken me months to realization that I was madly in love with Isabella Swan. From the first second she came into school, I knew she was different. I just didn't know how different until she sat beside me in Biology class. I hated her then, because I wanted her so badly. I had such a strong desire for her blood that I fled, scared, like a child. It took the love of my family to return. She was just a girl, right? It took her almost death to realize otherwise and in the silent weeks that followed, I began to learn more about her. I also learned something about myself: I was totally in love with her, and would protect her with my life.

So, this is how I came to be flying through the streets of this tiny town, searching for her. I couldn't believe I lost her scent. I was so careless. I should have gotten out of the car and kept her within sight. But, I didn't want to take the chance to be spotted either. Then, I could hear their thoughts loud and clear. They were going to kill her. I picked up the pace of my frantic search in my car through the streets of the tiny town.

"_God she feels good..."_

"_Can't for my turn..."_

"_I'd wish he'd finish so I could get a crack at her."_

"_God, look at that bitch's eyes. She's pissed..."_

I roared in fury. Bella's scent was getting stronger, but it was mixed with the scents of four others. I finally turned the corner and there she was, pinned to the ground in the dark alleyway. Her blue jeans were around her ankles; her panties were torn to shreds. I stomped on the brake so hard the Volvo bucked. I'm honestly surprised that I did not break it with the force. I was out within a split second, starring at the men that were raping Bella, trying to figure out what I needed to do next.

The strong scent of her blood lingered in the air, but it wasn't sweet. It was dirty, tainted. They had tainted my beautiful angel. I growled furiously at the angry men watching me. Two of them pulled out knives.

I snapped both their necks in a matter of seconds, not even giving them the chance to extend their arms fully. The useless knives fell to the cement with a satisfying thud. I pulled the dirty dark haired man off of Bella next, a new rage coming over me. This was the one that hurt her the most, defiling her body for his own pleasure. I would have tormented him, tortured him until he begged for death but I was too furious to control my need to destroy him. I easily ripped his head from his shoulders. The last man stood in front of me, frightened and shaking, his large black eyes glazed over with terror.

"Don't kill me..." he screamed, his voice shaking with fear. "Please," he begged loudly.

"No," I grabbed his skull between my palms, I crushed it completely. He dropped to the ground quickly, his thick blood covering my hands. But, I didn't have time to crave it, or to even notice it. A new emotion washed over my body as I remembered the reason I was standing here.

I dropped to my knees besides Bella's dirty, sweat covered body. Her normally large brown eyes were huge, her body shaking with fear. She would go into shock soon. "Bella. Bella... answer me. Bella?" I demanded, leaning over me.

"Edward..." She whispered my name softly, before her eyes fluttered shut. Thank god she passed out. She didn't need to be awake for this. I wasn't sure how much pain she'd be in, both physically and mentally. I pulled up her jeans, pulling the rest of her tattered panties away from her body, and scooped her up into my arms. There were tiny cuts all over her skin, the blood was not as overwhelming as I expected. My determination to get her to the hospital was stronger than my lust. I had to get her to Carlisle. I placed her in the car and went to hide the bodies. I had to do that first before anything else, even if I had an urge to simply leave them. I disposed of them in a nearby dumpster, wiping my bloody hands on their clothing as I went. I would have to enjoy burning their corpses later.

I enjoy driving fast, but I had never sped like this before. In less than twelve minutes we were parked in front of hospital in which my father worked at. I didn't care who saw as I ran to the other side of the car. I couldn't smell anyone else around though. _Good, that would make this easier._

I scooped her into my arms again as gently as possible, holding her tightly to my chest. I ran at a more human speed into the emergency room. There was no one in there, but a nurse who was flipping through a fashion magazine, completely ignoring us. _How's that for service?_ I thought to myself. I kicked open the doors to the hallway leading towards the medical equipment and began my trek to an open room. The nurse finally rushed beside me. "What are you doing?" Her angry gaze turned to horror when she looked at the limp girl in my arms. "What happened?"

"Go get my father! Go get Dr. Cullen, now!" The nurse stopped dead for a moment, confused by the command for some reason. She didn't expected it from someone she still considered a child. "NOW!"

She turned and nodded. She ran back to her station, practically tripping over her own feet. I wondered if she was new to the emergency room. She didn't seem to be used to the panic. Or, perhaps Forks was just that boring of a town. She grabbed the black phone and pressed the receiver to her quivering lips. "Paging Dr. Cullen to the E.R, paging Dr. Cullen to the E.R."

I laid Bella down in the in the first room I found. Her breathing was slow and deep, thankfully it was steady. I checked her pulse; it was slow but not bad considering she had blacked out. I began to check the small gashes on her skin. They seem to be everywhere. I went to the cabinet, grabbing one of the white wash cloth. I ran it under warm water then rung it out. I didn't know where else to start.

I started on her face first. It was caked in dirt, sweat and tears. She was going to have a black eye; I could see the bruising forming under her skin already. I wiped a streak off dirt off her swollen cheek.. I leaned in slowly, and pressed my lips to her forehead. She wasn't awake yet, and I felt safe doing so. She didn't know how I felt, but I was going to express it as soon as possible. I wasn't going to waist a second.

"What happened?" Carlisle's thoughts were too swift for me to really pick up. His mind was practically humming with all the things he needed to do, things he needed to check.

"I followed her to Port Angeles. I just wanted to keep an eye on her, but I lost her. I was so stupid. I should have been paying better attention. When I finally found her those men... Those men... they..." I sputtered out.

Carlisle's eyes went wide with horror. '_She was raped?'_I simply nodded, not wanting to say the word. '_She's bleeding. Is it not bothering you?' _He thought directly at me. I could tell he would have me forcefully if he needed to. Her safety was the most important thing to him, which I was glad for.

I shook my head, telling him the complete truth. I couldn't feel anything besides sadness and anger. I loved this girl and I failed protecting her. I wouldn't do a thing to harm a single hair on her perfect head. "No, it's fine."

I raised the damp towel to her cheek, going to wipe away her dried tears. Just looking at them was heart breaking. I wanted to wipe away her pain. "Stop, we need the nurse to bring out the rape kit. Then we can get her cleaned up." He said in a gentle voice, afraid to anger me. My hand dropped away with a sigh. I nodded begrudgingly.

"I'm not leaving her." I told him in a fierce tone, showing how serious I was.

"I know..." he sighed. '_What needs to be done?'_

"Four bodies in a dumpster in Port Angeles, it's in an alley way. " I whispered so softly only he would be able to hear but him. No matter what his life style, and his temper, I would not regret what I did. He could not be angry with me for what I have done.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, actually surprising me. I looked at the caller ID. Alice. _Why hadn't Alice seen this? _"What?" I hissed. Anger started to build in my stomach, twisting my useless inside into tight knots.

"I'll take care of it. We're heading there now. I'm so sorry, Edward." Alice whispered softly in a regretful tone. I felt horrible as quickly as I had gotten angry. I swallowed back the venom in my mouth before answering.

"Thank you, Alice." I whispered.

"I'm so, so sorry." She whispered before she hung up. I placed the phone back in my pocket. I gripped Bella's hand and kissed it, pressing my palm to my cheek. I wanted to touch her while I had the chance. She would most likely reject me, and all men, when she awoke. When it fully sunk in what happened to her.

"We have to call her father." Carlisle spoke softly. "I'll wait until she wakes though, before we start the kit. We need to know what she saw." He continued in his mind. '_Did you do it front of her?'_

I simply nodded. That would be one the many things I would regret tonight. I did not regret their death, just doing so in front of her. She didn't need anymore stress and I added to it without thinking.

'_How many? Did any get away?'_

I raised my fingers, lifting four. "I got them all."

'_Did she see?' _He asked gently.

I shrugged. I wasn't entirely sure of what she saw. Hopefully none of it. Though, with my luck it wouldn't be that way. If she was still anything like she was with the van, I knew the answer.

"Find out what she knows; tell me when she's ready. Okay?" He patted my shoulder before leaving me with my dark thoughts.

I knelt beside her bed, holding her hand in mine. My chin rested against the mattress as I gazed at her limp body. Her fingers were less than an inch from my nose. I breathed in her scent deeply, enjoy her floral smell. She was so delicious, in so many ways, but I had no desire for her blood. I was simply too horrified by what those men did to her. After destroying the monsters that hurt her, the monster in my head was no problem. _Maybe I could be the man she needed._

"Edward..." Her eyelashes began to flutter as she finally came to. One eye couldn't open nearly as much other. The anger towards the men double again for a moment but, I swallowed it back, reminding myself to only think of her.

"Bella? Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, but it came out before I could think about it. I mentally kicked myself for being insensitive. Though she didn't seem to notice.

"I don't know..." she whispered as she tried to sit up. She groaned softly, and laid back. I'm sure she felt sore. She looked at her tiny hand in mine and squeezed my fingers. I smiled at this action, but in the back in my mind I wondered how long it would last. "Thank you."

I looked up at her, surprised. "For what?"

"For saving my life…again." She squeezed my hand again. I wondered if my freakishly cold skin was bothering her. She didn't seem to notice though.

"What do you remember?" I whispered, looking directly into her perfect brown eyes. I wasn't going to hide, or lie about anything this time. Not like with the van. Everything was different now.

"Everything," she muttered softly, her gaze not wavering from mine.

"Oh..." I said, slumping back on my heels. I didn't know what to say or what she would do.

"Thank you," she whispered again. I pressed my lips to her hand. She smiled, completely unsurprised by it the action, or my skin. I was testing the waters of how much she'd allow.

"I'm so sorry." I told her, rubbing soothing circles into her palm.

"You're my hero." She said with a slight smile. "Don't be sorry. I won't say anything about what you did. Don't worry. Just like last time. I'll just say I remember the _men _then I passed out. I woke up when you found me and then passed again. I woke up here. Is that alright? Is there anything I need to add?"

"That's fine, Bella." I brought her hand to my nose, pressing it gently to my lips. She smiled. I'm glad she didn't seem to mind, and actually enjoying the contact. I couldn't help but smile back. I stiffened when I remember what they needed to do. "They're going to check you for evidence."

"I know." she whispered. "My dad's a cop. Remember?"

"Aw, yes, of course." I looked down at joined hands, not really sure what to do or say next.

"It's alright. I'll be fine. Don't worry." Her head laid back against the pillow, her eyes closing for a moment. She opened them again, gazing into my eyes, stoic expression on her face.

"You are being awfully calm about this." I said, wishing I could feel as calm as she appeared. I felt like there was a tornado blowing through my head, mixing up my emotions and my thoughts.

"I feel safe around you," she whispered, her eyes closing again. She seemed exhausted, not that I blamed her. I knew she wasn't blacking out again, thankfully.

Mere hours ago I would have been horrified by this, by those words. I should have been now. I was much a monster as those men. But, was I really? I would have never done that to Bella. I would never hurt her like that. She was safe with me. I loved her too much to hurt her.

"I will keep you safe." I told her honestly, squeezing her gently.

"Thank you, Edward."

Carlisle nearly had to drag me out of the room when the Sexual Assault nurse came in. I wanted to hold Bella in my arms to make sure she was fine. I stood outside of the door, listening to the nurse speak to her in what was suppose to be in hushed, soothing tones. I could hear the tears roll down her cheeks, even through the door. I took all the strength I had not to run in there and take her away. Away from here, away from everything.

I heard Charlie's thoughts before I saw him '_Oh my god, oh my god, oh my Isabella. Oh my poor baby. __Oh my god.'_

The moment he saw me leaning next to the door he stiffened. I straighten up, clearing my throat before I spoke. "Chief Swan."

"You're the Cullen kid? You're the one that found Bella?" His voice was weak, like he had been crying alone in the car on his way here. I had no doubt he had been. I knew I would have if it was my daughter.

"Yes, sir." I couldn't meet his eyes. Shamed washed over me. I should have been paying attention better. I should have been doing what I went up there to do. I not only did I let her down, but let him down as well.

"Thank you" he whispered, looking down at his rather large feet. "What happened?"

"I got turned around in Port Angeles. I was just driving around... and then I saw the men around her. They stopped when they saw my car. I guess they ran off." I said the lies easily, but they were mixed with small truths. "I saw Bella, lying on the ground. She was shaking and bloody. I've never been that scared in my life. I got her to the hospital as fast as I could. If she'd died..." The words came sputtering out of my mouth before I could stop them. The truth seem to slap me in the face.

I took Charlie by surprise with my outburst of emotion and he put a firm hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?" I nodded quickly and turned away. I've never done this before. I'd never felt this before, and I wasn't sure how to handle it.

"Um, they're doing some sort of kit. They should be almost done." I said, still facing away from him.

"Yeah, I know..." He said quietly, but I could hear his mind. "_Wonder why he was up there..."_

I decided this was a good time to do a little damage control. I took in a deep breath. "All I wanted to do is get a book. Then I got lost... If I hadn't they might of..." I trailed off.. "I wish I could have protected her." I whispered softly.

"Edward, you sound like you care a lot about Bella." He put his hand back on my shoulder, patting it quickly before pulling away.

"She's a wonderful girl. We're lab partners. I couldn't ask for a better one. I don't know what I would do if I went back to school tomorrow and she didn't come back." Not a word I said was untrue.

'_He sounds like he's in love with her,' _he thought. He wasn't wrong but it was stronger than that. Just then the nurse came out, holding several things. Bags, cups, jars, and vials full of Bella's blood.

"Are you the man I talked to on the phone? Are you Isabella Swan's father?" She looked at Charlie.

"Yeah," he stated simply, not having enough energy to say much else. He felt every bit of his forty or so years.

"She was pretty badly cut up. She's going to have some pretty severe bruising. We were able to get quite a few samples. Hopefully, we'll be able to get the guys that did this. She doesn't have any broken bones or internal bleeding. We'd like to keep her over night, on suicide watch. We're going to send a counselor in after Dr. Cullen gets done with her. Don't worry she'll be okay, Chief Swan."

"Thank you" He muttered. '_Oh my god. Oh my god... oh my god.'_

She started to walk away, but stopped quickly, turning on her heel. "Oh, she said if you were still here Edward, she wanted to see you."

I nodded, and the chief looked at me confused. He was wondering what our relationship really was, if we were hiding something from him. I shrugged, crossing my arms as I walked in. He followed quickly behind.

"Hey kiddo..." He started to speak but stopped when he saw her. Bella's eye was almost completely swollen shut. There were various cuts all over her body, some deeper than others, but they were all exposed now because of the hospital gown she was in. Finally the words that repeated in his head were said out loud. "Oh, my god."

"Hi dad..." She said with a small smile, a cut on perfect lips

"Oh sweetheart. I'm so sorry." He began to cry openly, and unashamed. He was wondering how a police officer could let this happen to his daughter. He felt like less of a man, and a parent.

"It's okay, don't cry Dad. I'll be alright." She muttered, blushing slightly. I could tell she wasn't sure to seeing her father this way. She didn't know how to react.

"We'll put the bastards that did this to you to justice. You hear me?" He said, sniffling. He rubbed the back of his hand across his eyes.

"I have no doubt, Dad." Her eyes looked over at me, smiling slightly. I wasn't sure how to react, but I answered her small smile with my own.

I was so glad at that moment my father decided to walk in. I'm sure he was listening as he came down the hall. He came in carrying a tray of equipment to close some of the small wounds that covered her creamy skin.

"Alright Bella, you have several cuts that need stitches. Don't worry, I'll numb all the areas and you won't feel a thing." He picked up a small needle as he gave Bella the doctor speech. Her eyes glazed over as she saw the syringe and then turned her head to me, lulling to the side a bit..

Both fathers looked at me, waiting for my reaction. I knelt beside the bed and held her hand gently in between both of mine. "Don't worry about the needle. Just look at me. It'll be okay, I promise. I'll protect you." I whispered loudly. She smiled but her face quickly scrunched as the pinch of the needle injected several spots over her body. She whimpered as the needle pushed into her swollen cheek. I hushed her gently, squeezing her hand to hold her attention.

'_The injection sites are bleeding. Do you need to leave?' _Carlisle thought directly at me, his eyes never leaving his work. .

"It's okay; I'll be here for you." I whispered to Bella, but Carlisle knew who it was directed at and what it meant.

"Stay with me." She whispered, small tears tracing down her cheeks. She sounded so weak in that moment that I couldn't say no to her.

"Bells, I'm not sure that's a good idea. I'm sure Edward's tired and he's hasn't had the best of days either." Charlie muttered. I could tell he wasn't comfortable with me being there, but I could also see if Bella pushed it, she'd get her way. Bella knew this as well it would seem.

"I will stay as long as you want me too." I told her, looking directly into her eyes.

"Stay," Bella insisted.

Charlie sighed loudly, feeling frustrated, and sat in a chair across the room. His thoughts returned to the "Oh, my god" chant of before. He wasn't sure how to deal with something like this when it came to his own daughter.

Carlisle's hands were swift and gentle. I was amazed how quickly he sewed her skin, working with the speed and skill of over a hundred and fifty years of work. Her eyes never left mine while he worked. Every once in a while she'd bite her lip during a tug of the needle.

'_Do you really love this girl?' _Carlisle thought. They were not judgmental, or rude. It was simply a question. I knew if I didn't want to answer I didn't have to.

I simply nodded slightly. He smiled at me, his eyes almost sparkling. He was just happy I found someone I wanted to be with. '_She's a sweet girl I can tell. As long as your happy, son.' _With that he finished, putting his tools down on the metal tray.

"Thanks, dad." I smiled at him. Bella finally turned and looked over at him. She smiled slightly but one of the corners of her mouth couldn't turn up completely because of her numb cheek. It made her look a little lopsided. From what I understood, it wasn't a pleasant feeling, being numb.

"Bella, I'm going to give you some pain medication, just a low dosage to help with the bruising. I also wanted to offer you the option of sleeping medication." He placed a hand on hers. "You can take it if you like. I won't force you."

"I'll take the pain medication, but no sleeping pills please." She looked at Carlisle and he nodded slowly as if he was thinking something over.

"Please call the nurse if you change your mind. I'm going to keep you over night and in the morning someone's going to come talk to you. "

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen." With that my father left, giving me meaningful eyes, basically telling me that we'd speak more on this later.

She turned her eyes towards mine again."Daddy, can you do something for me?" She lifted her head slightly, batting her eyelashes sweetly at him.

"Anything you need, kiddo." He instantly lifted himself from the chair and walked over to her. He was feeling nervous in the hospital and he wanted something to do with his fidgeting hands.

"I'm really hungry. Can you go get me some Burger king?" She smiled one corner of her mouth higher than the other. Her unharmed eye crinkled at the edges. I could tell she was laying it on rather thickly, even though she didn't need to.

He laughed, and took a deep breath. The request was not the one he expected, but he was grateful it was something easy. He looked at his watch; it was nine o'clock, so they should still be open. "Yeah okay, what do you want?"

"I want a whopper with cheese and extra pickles, light mayo and ketchup. I want the biggest thing of fries you can get your hands on. I also want a chocolate milk shake. Don't forget the ketchup packets, please." She listened off quickly, scrunching up her nose as she thought.

He snorted, "Maybe I should write this down." Charlie quickly jotted down her order on a piece of hospital stationary. He reluctantly looked over to me. "What would you like Edward?"

"Nothing sir, thank you though." I said politely.

"Are you going to be alright, Bells?" He folded the piece of paper and put it into his pocket.

"Yeah dad, like I said, I'm just really hungry. Besides, Edward will be here with me." Her gripped tightened for a moment as she said my name.

"I'll be back soon. I promise," and with that he walked out of the room.

"I've never seen you eat that much." I said with a slight smile.

"I've never seen you eat at all," she whispered. "That should keep him busy for a while." She nodded towards the door.

The nurse came in and interrupted our quiet talk. She handed Bella two white round pills, that I knew as Lortab fives and a pink plastic cup of water. She chugged them down without a fight. After the nurse told her to call her if she needed anything she left, shutting the door behind her with a heavy thud.

Bella sat up slowly, getting more comfortable on the bed."Okay, now that we're alone... What the hell are you?"

**So, I added almost two pages of detail on this chapter. I'm hoping to add more detail to rest of this story. So, did you like the changes? Also, to let you know, I probably won't do too many A/Ns on this story after this chapter. I know I tend to babble. **

**Oh, by the way, today is my birthday, but this is my present to you. You guys are awesome. I want to thank my friends: Shannon, Stephanie, and Katie for being so nice to me, and worrying about me, while I'm in the hospital.**

**So, should I continue with this, or am I wasting my time?**


	2. Chapter 2

I was taken aback by her straight words. Bella was so blunt, so forward. I stood at the side of her bed and placed my hands against the railing, holding myself up. She looked up at me with large doe like, questioning eyes. I didn't know where to start, but she seemed to lead easily into that.

"Would you like to hear my theory?" She smiled slightly at me. She knew she was right, but I think now she wanted to play with me. Or, at least that's what it felt like to my over stressed brain.

"Another theory?" We had already spoken about how she thought I was different. The ideas were silly, to say the least. I was no super man, or even spider man. I tried to warn her that I was the bad guy, but she did not listen.

"Yes. I think I may be closer this time." She gently placed her hand on mine. Her hand was like fire on my skin. She didn't flinch at the temperature difference. She actually seem to enjoy it. It was unnatural. She was suppose to be frighten to me, but it seemed like she was drawn to me.

"Then by all means, explain it to me please." I turned my palm so that her tiny fingers were resting in it. She dragged her finger tips against my skin, almost like she was studying the texture. I wondered if I felt like marble to her.

"You remember how I went to La Push this weekend?" Her fingers idly traced the lines of my palm. She didn't look at me, Bella's eyes were trained on her own finger tips.

"Aw, yes I do." I knew she was right then. The werewolves seem to have long memories. It was rather bothersome, but there was nothing I could do about it, so it did not matter.

"I have a friend that lives here. I think he was trying to scare me with these 'legends' he told me about. He didn't put much stock in them, honestly." She said in a hurried voice, like she was trying to rip off a band aid. Like it would hurt less.

"You heard a scary story and thought of me. That's lovely." I turned my head slightly, sighing.

"He said your name. Well, the Cullen's anyway. They told me about these... _Cold ones."_ She gripped my hand and pulled it to her lips. She kissed one of my knuckles, letting her lips linger there on the skin.

"Am I cold to you?" I whispered. She didn't respond so I wondered if she actually heard it at all. After a moment she looked up at me and smiled, her brown eyes sparkling.

"Only to the touch." She kissed my knuckle again.

"You... You should be scared of me." I muttered. "Now that you know what I am..."

"It doesn't matter." She said with a shrug.

"It doesn't matter?" I repeated angrily. I wasn't sure who I was angry at. Myself, most likely. She needed to be afraid of me, even if I would only protect her. I pulled my hand back from her and put it in my pocket. "I'm a monster."

"You're my savior," she whispered, her voice didn't quiver or shake. It was strong with it's words.

"Does my diet mean anything to you?" I turned towards the window, looking into the dark night. I couldn't look at how strong she was. She should be scared of me and she wasn't. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. Honestly, I could not or would not ever hurt her. But, she couldn't be sure of that, especially after what happened tonight. She shouldn't trust any male after this.

"Ah, that..." She said like it was nothing.

"Yes, that." I literally growled. I couldn't control my voice.

"I can handle it." She muttered defensively.

"I don't feed from... your _kind_... I only drink from animals." I spoke mostly to the window, my arms crossed over my chest. I tried to soften my tone so I wouldn't scare her.

"I know, that's what Jake said. And, I'm about to eat a cow. What's the difference?" I could hear the slight amusement in her voice.

"We call ourself vegetarians." I snorted. "My family's little joke. We're still dangerous though. We still have the urge to..." I stopped myself. I couldn't go on and explain it more. I'm sure she'd understand.

"Are you hungry now?" She asked, her voice curious.

"No..." It came so easily. It slipped past my lips. It was true though. I wasn't hungry. I hadn't even thought about my thirst all night, well, not since I killed the men.

"Then stay with me." She whispered again. I could hear her start to sit up again, a little more this time. I turned and placed a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down as gently as possible.

"I will, but you need to rest." I told her.

She nodded and laid back, her head resting against the pillow. I could hear Charlie's thoughts outside in the hall. He was thinking that he'd never leave Bella alone again. That he should have protected her. At least it had changed from the earlier chant. His shock had turned into frustration and anger. I couldn't blame him for either emotion.

"I hope you're hungry." I knelt beside her bed again, crossing my arms over the mattress. She smiled slightly at the action, her lip still not going up completely at the corner. I wondered absently how long the anesthetic would last.

"I have so many questions I want to ask." She reached for my hand, twisting her fingers with mine.

"I will answer them all." I told her as I peered into her strong chocolate brown eyes. I was enticed by them. They had a way of pulling you in.

"Starting with how did you find-" The question was stopped by Charlie opened the door. I could tell he'd been crying, his face beat red and blotchy again.

"Alright kiddo, burger king coming up!" He said in a falsely bright tone as he pulled the rolling table over to her and arranged it over her lap. He started pulling things out of the sack and arranging it for her. She quickly grabbed the burger from his chubby fingers.

"Thanks, Dad, but I can do that. My arms aren't broken." She started to unwrap her burger. She opened ketchup and squeezed it onto a napkin. She grabbed several fries, dipped them in the red vinegar paste, and then shoved them into her mouth. She hummed in pleasure at the paste. I wondered how she could think something that smelled that strange could taste good.

"Slow down there, you're going to choke." I laughed at her stuffed cheeks.

"Well, at least I'm already in the hospital." Bella said after she swallowed the stuff in her mouth with a large smile.

"That's alright. I'd think you've gone through enough tonight. Let's save choking for say, tomorrow?" I said softly. I wanted to bring my hand up to touch her cheek, and her full lips, but pulled away because of her father.

"Ha, alright. If you insist." She smiled again. I was surprised she could do it so easily. I don't think what had happen to her had hit fully yet.

"Speaking of going through a lot, I think you might want to head home, Edward." Charlie chimed in. He hated having me here, near Bella. Her hand gripped my tightly, her sad eyes pleading with her father.

"If you wish me to leave the room, I will sir." She looked down into Bella's eyes as I stood. They were filled with tears.

"Go home and get some rest." He patted my shoulder in what was suppose to be in a comforting manor. He was grateful to me for finding her, but I made him, like most people, nervous.

I leaned down and kissed Bella's forehead. I didn't care if Charlie was in the room. I could almost hear him stiffen beside me as I touched her. I lowered my lips close to her ear so only she could hear me. " I won't leave the hospital until you do. Okay?"

She nodded and turned her face. Her warm soft lips pressed against my cheek. It felt like my dead heart started back to life again. It took all the strength in my body to not turn and kiss her lips. But her father was there and after what happened tonight... Neither her or I were ready for that yet.

I went into the waiting room just outside her door and sat in the uncomfortable plastic chairs. Only one nurse manned the station, and she actually looked bored. She was a different nurse from before so it must have been the lack of excitement in Forks that made them this way. I took a deep breath and thought about the past evening. There had been so many emotions so quickly. Anger, hate, fury, pain, love, happiness, and fear. It was so many things to deal with at once. I'd been so closed off for so long that the new emotions were overwhelming.

The tiny phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw Alice's name flash on the screen. I flipped it open and pressed it to my ear.

"It's been taken care of." Alice's words were low and quick.

"Good," was all I could say.

"Are you alright?" She said in a soft, concerned tone. I'm sure she already saw the answer but it was still sweet of her to ask.

"Not really. It'll get better though." I actually did think that, for once. At the very least, Bella would be out of the hospital tomorrow. This was a low, and things could only get better from here.

There was a long pause. "Yes, it will get much better."

"Thanks, sis." I smiled a little bit.

"I'm so sorry," she said in a sad little voice. "I wish I could have seen before-"

"I know. It's alright. It's not your fault. I know that. You should too. I should have been paying better attention." I starred at Bella's door. I became angry, but only at myself.

"It's not your fault either, you know." She said in a reassuring tone.

"Yes, it is." I barely mouthed the words. "And, I'm going to spend the rest of time making up for it."

"She'll like that." I could hear her voice change a bit. She must have been looking to the future.

"Will she, Alice?" I questioned. I had very little confidence in myself, especially now, when it came to Bella. She made me unsteady.

"She loves you," she stated after a long minute. I could tell she was excited about this.

"I love her, too." I smiled at the unmoving door. "But, you already knew that."

"It'll work out in the end." Alice said cheerfully before she hung up.. I was glad she thought so, because I wasn't so sure. I moved from the chairs to a couch and laid back. I couldn't sleep, but I could relax. I placed my arm over my eyes to block out the harsh hospital light. I concentrated on Charlie's thoughts. I wanted to keep tabs on Bella as much as possible. I wanted to make sure she was happy and safe.

_"Poor kid. My poor daughter. She looks like she's getting tired. Oh, it must be the pain meds they gave her. She always go to sleep on that stuff. I can't believe she's smiling. I wonder if she was really in Port Angeles with Edward and not the girls like she said. I don't want to push it though. Edward seems like a good kid at least. He seemed really upset by all this. Bella really likes him. I guess I should be nice..." _His thoughts began to fade.It made me wonder about Jessica and Angela as well.I wondered if they at least called the police to say that they couldn't find Bella.If not I would have to have some harsh words for them if they didn't.Angela always seemed like a smart girl.I'm sure she did even if Jessica did not.

I'm not sure what time it was ,but hours had passed. The nurses changed. I could hear their thoughts which where pretty much the same. _"Have to check on chief Swan's kid again._ _I can't believe she's not freaking out right now._ _I'd be suicidal..._ " I blocked them out as much as possible. I didn't want to think what happened to her anymore.

I heard the door open to Bella's room but I did not look up. I assumed it was just the nurse coming or going. I heard the soft padding of bare feet against the linoleum floor before her sweet scent hit me like a freight train. I removed my arm from over my eyes and peered at her. She was standing a couple feet in front of me, her eyes looking over my outstretched form. She was wrapped in a green hospital blanket, her hands clutching tightly at it to keep it up. Bella was nibbling on her bottom lip.

I sat up slightly and she came to sit on the edge of the couch. She looked around and after a few seconds she turned to me. "Can we talk?" It was cute that she was trying to be sneaky.

"About anything you wish." My hand automatically reached for hers. I didn't realize how much it missed holding Bella's until it was in it again.

"How did you find me?" She asked in a love voice.

"I searched..." I started but stopped. How could I answer this? How could I explain it to her without sounding insane?

"How?" She asked again, her voice stronger this time.

"I followed your scent, mostly. I listened to the thoughts of others." I said after I swallowed quietly. It was best just to dive in.

"What am I thinking right now?" She smiled slightly. I could tell she was trying to tease me, but this one of the must frustrating things about her. I wish I could hear her thoughts just to see why she was smiling.

"I don't know. I can't hear you. I wish I did. It would be easier I think sometimes, but I love your... silence, mostly." I admitted.

"Why can't you hear me?" She leaned against the back of the couch, curling her long legs underneath her.

"I'm not sure. I have a theory that your mind is different from others. That it works differently." I said after a second. I didn't know how to phrase it without offending her.

"Oh great, I'm a freak," she muttered, turning her head away from me.

"I hear voices, and you're a freak?" I snorted. She turned her head towards me again and smiled.

"Yes?" It was a question more then an answer. I could tell she was trying not to giggle.

I leaned my closer to her. I reached to touch her cheek, but pulled back. I didn't want to hurt her or surprise her. Her smile and voice were so warm, so inviting.

"Can I ask you some more questions?" Her eyes were amazing, piercing, brown pools.

"I suppose, if you must." I said rather sarcastically, rolling my eyes. She giggled, getting the reaction I wanted.

She leaned closer, "How can you go out during daylight?" She looked around after she said it.

"Myth, kind of. I'll show you someday." I promised her. I was worried about her reaction, but if I wanted her in my life, she would have to see this.

"Okay... crosses?" She began to list off.

"Myth." I answered quickly. I actually liked crosses, depending. Some could be very beautiful. I would have to show her the one that was hanging in our home.

She scrunched up her nose, trying to come up with more questions. It was actually very adorable"Um... coffins?"

"I don't sleep, at all." I whispered, saddened by the answer. That was one of the things I hated most about being a vampire, besides being damned. Boredom could drive you insane. She looked confused for a moment before she realized what I said.

"That must be hard..." She admitted, pursing her lips.

"It is at time. I don't become tired like you though." I explained.

"Silver?" She must have noticed my discomfort and decided to move onto a different subject. I'm almost certain she knew the answer this question before she asked it. She simply wanted to see my reaction.

"My car is silver, what do you think?" I teased. It was actually one of my favorite colors.

She laughed and leaned in a bit closer. "Garlic?"

"Smells odd. Other then that..." I waved my hand in front of me. Most human food was rather offense to my delicate sense of smell, but garlic was one of the worst.

"Can all of... _you_ hear thoughts?" Her face was inches from mine. Her sweet breath spread over my face and I breathed in deeply. I was becoming drunk on her. It took me a moment to respond.

"No... not everyone has abilities. Can you sing?" I asked. It was something I actually wanted to know. I would love to hear her sing.

"Couldn't carry a tune in a bucket." She frowned, a soft blush spreading over her cheeks.

"Well, then there you go. Everyone is different, some are just more special then others." I laughed. "I'll tell you about the rest of my family later." I looked over at the nurse who was wondering what we were doing. She was straining her ears, but our conversation was too low for her to hear. She was considering checking on Bella, but since she didn't seem upset, she couldn't find a real reason.

"So, you really are a..." She stopped., trying to think of the right way to word her question.

I leaned in as close to her as I could. I didn't even want the nurse to be able to read my lips. Perhaps, I just wanted to feel her flesh against mine once again. My lips touched her warm soft ear. "Vampire, yes."


	3. Chapter 3

Bella let out a sharp breath, and her sweet breath fanned over my face again. I inhaled the lovely scent, letting it tickle my tongue with it's overwhelming taste. I finally touched the delicate skin of her face, running my fingers over what little area was not damaged. Her heart was erratic in her chest and her lips quiver. I pulled back as to not scare her anymore than I'd already had.

"Don't stop." She whispered, her skin a hot red shade.

This surprised me, but I couldn't deny her request. I touched her cheek again lightly, letting my finger tips graze her soft flesh. "I thought after tonight you'd never want to be touched again."

"Only by you. Your touch... it numbs the pain of theirs..." She closed her eyes and sighed. I let my fingers float over her lips. She kissed them as they passed.

"I will only touch you when you want me to." I whispered. "I'll never hurt you."

"I know." She slowly crawled over and sat on my lap. I held her to me, burying my face in her hair. It tickled my nose while her scent assaulted it. I'd never felt such pleasure like this, it was the kindest torture.

We hadn't sat there long before she fell asleep in my loose grasp. I held her to me, feeling the sweet smelling blood rush through her veins, even through my clothing. I traced my fingers over her wrists, feeling her pulse point. I realized that they were horribly bruised. I brought one of them to my lips and kissed it lightly. Her pulse thumped against my lips.

I let her sleep there about an hour before I carried her back to the bed. Her father was dead to the world, snoring loudly. I sat her gently against the mattress and covered her body with a thin blanket. I brushed my hand over her forehead, pulling a random hair out of her eyes.

As soon as my skin left hers she began to whimper. She then shivered as the heavy tears rolled down her cheeks. She wasn't even awake though. She began to shake violently as she screamed out, "No... please, don't. Stop... NO, no, no, no... Edward... save me... please... No, no, no, no... EDWARD..." My name poured from her lips as a plea.

I stood stock still, watching her. Her father awoke and turned to me. I didn't know what to do. I wasn't sure what would be right.

"I just... came to check on... her..."I stuttered. " I think she's dreaming." I tried to explain. He was slightly angry at me for not leaving when he wanted me to.

Charlie ran to her side and touched her shoulder, "Bells, wake up!"

She screamed and recoiled from his touch, but still did not wake. "NO... Edward! Where are you? Where are you?!"

I looked at Charlie's scared expression and leaned forward, grabbing Bella. I practically had to push him out of the way. He was too much in shock to move. I held her to my body and hushed her cries which slowly stopped with the rocking motion.

"Wake up. It's just a dream. I'm right here. It's just a dream." I chanted in her ear, rocking her like a scared child. In all honesty she was a child.

I felt her eyelashes fluttering against my chest as she woke up. She gripped my shirt tightly in her tiny fist and shoved her face hard against my chest. She broke into new sobs, sobs of sheer terror. Her hot breath combined with her tears moistened my shirt, not that I cared in the least. She could have the shirt off my back if she wanted.

"Don't leave me, Edward." Her red eyes pleaded with me as she looked up into my face.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "It'll be okay. I promise. I'll stay."

Charlie's thoughts were confused. He was angry and happy with me at the same time. He hated me because I could comfort his daughter and he couldn't. He only wanted Bella to be happy and if I was what made her happy he'd kidnap me, locking me in their house until she didn't want me anymore. If she felt safe around me he'd suck up his pride and let me hold her.

"Charlie, get me a wash cloth, please." I said softly. "Wet it down a little."

He nodded and quickly complied. He just wanted something to do at this point. He handed it over, giving me a sad look. I began to slowly wipe her face, starting at her eyes.

"You have lovely eyes, you know that?" I commented as I wiped her forehead.

"Yeah... okay..." she snorted, her voice raspy.

"You've got a cute nose, too." I dragged the cloth down the bridge of her nose. Her cheeks were becoming a deep shade of red. I smiled at her. I wanted to lean down and kiss her lips, but resisted.

"I know you're just trying to make me feel better..." She wiped her hand under one of her eyes. Bella didn't meet my gaze, which frustrated me slightly.

"Do you really think that is the reason?" I lifted her chin to look into my eyes.

"No..." she muttered, her eyes slightly glazed over.

"Good... Now, I want you to lay down and get some real sleep. If you're not asleep in ten minutes I'm going to call the nurse, do you understand me?" I playfully threatened.

Bella laid back against the pillow but her eyes were wide. "Don't leave," she begged.

"I won't leave this spot." I leaned over and kissed her soft cheek, letting my lips linger there for just a moment.

She nodded and closed her eyes slowly. Within a minute she was out cold. Her body and mind were exhausted. I held her tiny hand in mine, rubbing it with my thumb.

Charlie coughed beside me, trying to get my attention without disturbing Bella.. I looked over at him as innocently as I could muster. I'm not sure it worked that well though.

"You like my daughter?" He was trying to sound stern while still being quiet. I had to stop myself from snorting. He had no idea...

"Since the first second I saw her." I told him honestly. I wasn't going to tell him at first it was her blood that I liked. There were things neither of them ever needed to know.

"She's gone through too much. She won't be ready for a relationship. She may never be ready. I don't want her to hurt more then she already is. I won't let her be hurt" His voice was sad as he spoke, but firm with it's conviction.

"I will leave when she wants me to. I will do whatever she asks." I turned my eyes back to Bella's sleeping form. Her breaths were slow and easy, her lips quivering slightly in her sleep.

"I won't let you hurt her. Do you understand me?" He clarified firmly.

"I would never... She deserves the world." I touched her hand gently with my free hand.

"Yes, she does..." He whispered. He ran his hand over his face. He was so tired. His brain was nothing but fuzz at this point. White noise.

"Chief Swan, go home. Get some sleep. I will be up here, as will my father. I will call you as soon as she wakes up. I promise."

"I'm fine..." He muttered.

"You'll do no good to her asleep on your feet." I said in a firm voice. He thought it over for a long moment before he finally answered.

"Okay, I guess you're right. Please call if anything happens. I mean _anything_." And with that he turned on his heels and walked out of the room. I worried that he would have trouble getting home but it wasn't a long drive. I'm sure Alice was watching everything involving Bella at this point and would see the trouble with him.

When he was completely out of the hospital I laid down besides Bella. She snuggled against my body in her sleep, curling into my side. I wrapped my arm around her waist, bringing her closer.

"Edward..." she whispered softly, still asleep. It sounded like music coming from her mouth. I would do anything to hear her speak my name again in that breathy voice. It was beautiful.

Hours passed and she did not move an inch. As the soft morning light began to filter through the window I quickly got up and closed the blinds. I wasn't gone from her body a second before I heard it again; the painful sounds of her whimpers.

Her tears began to slide down her flesh. She shrieked, her body shaking again. I went back to her side quickly and held her limp body to my chest.

"Hush, it's okay." I breathed against her wild hair. It was a tangled messed and I'm sure it would be painful to brush out later.

"Oh, Edward. You stayed." She pressed her face into my chest, muttering the words into my shirt.

"Of course. I told you I won't leave." I chuckled, "Don't be so surprised."

"I just... " she shook her head and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into a tight hug. "I love having you here. You make me calm."

"I love being here. So, I think I'll never leave. Is that okay with you?" I smiled slightly, teasing her.

"Oh, yes. Please. Forever?" Bella looked up at me hopefully.

My smile grew in response and I tightened my hug. She turned her face slightly, her lips only inches away from mine. She began to lean in slowly, her lips a little puckered.

"No, not yet. Not now. I don't want our first kiss to be in a hospital, while you're in so much pain. I want to give you time to think about this. " I pulled back, even though it killed me to do so. Her eyes looked so sad that I mentally kicked myself for saying it. I placed my hand on the side of her face and kissed her forehead, letting my lips linger. "I will kiss you when the time is right."

I heard the woman's thoughts before she opened the door. She wondered how hard this was going to be and if she would need to have some sort of sedation ready. "Someone's coming." I pulled back slightly, but her hands gripped tightly to my shirt.

The knock came gently on the door. The woman didn't wait for an answer but entered quickly. She was holding a pen and a tablet in her hands, a bag hanging from her thin shoulder. She looked at me with confusion in her eyes but she straightened her stance, almost defensively.

"I'm Dr. Grace. I'm the mental health physician here at the hospital. I'd like to talk to you about what's happened. If that's alright with you?" It wasn't really a question. She didn't like the fact that I was there, she didn't think it was healthy. She didn't seem to trust men all that much, not that I could blame her. After all the sexual assaults and abuse that she's heard about, I wouldn't trust men either if I were her.

"Hello, doctor." Bella said rather weakly. Her eyes went from the woman to me. I gripped her hand and tried to look reassuringly into her eyes.

"I'll be outside. You say the word and I will be in here so quick your head will spin. Okay?" I whispered so softly only she could hear me.

She nodded, but her eyes began to tear. I felt so sorry for her. I wished I could take all her pain. I walked slowly out of the room and sat right next to the door. Bella began to cry as soon as I left. I sighed as brought my knees to my chest.

I listened to every word and every thought of the doctor, and Bella's sniffled words through the door. I could hear Bella's tears splash against her flesh as they fell heavily. But, she didn't call for me. I wanted to simply run through the door and rock her, protect her, love her. I felt a strong emotion over take me. I buried my face in my hands and began to sob. My throat felt dry and I knew my eyes were as well, but I couldn't hold back the gasps for air. I felt sadness and panic rush through my veins.

"You need to go home, Edward." Charlie said as came to the door. He didn't look very rested, but it was better than last night. I couldn't believe he surprised me. It didn't happen often.

"I promised Bella." I said into my hands. "I won't hurt her."

"She's with the doctor now?" He offered me his hand. I shook my head and rose to my feet gracefully. He would have expected my hands to be warm and I didn't want to scare him.

"She is. They've been in there about an hour." I wiped my hand over my face and moved for a chair in the waiting area across the hall.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" He asked me bluntly. He honestly had no idea. He'd seen this so many times, with so many different results. He had just gotten his daughter back and he didn't now how she'd react.

I shrugged. I doubted that she ever would be completely but I could hope. I knew if I needed hope then so did her father. "I think so."

"I hope you're right." He mutter, sitting across from me.

The doctor came through the door. I could hear Bella sobbing quietly to herself. Her face must have been shoved in a pillow because the sound was muffled. I cringed at the mental picture. It broke my heart.

"Edward? I'd like to speak to you, please." Dr. Grace said as she came striding over to me. I could see the words forming before she spoke. She was getting ready to make a speech. Charlie gave us some privacy and went into Bella's room to check on his daughter.

"Yes ma'am?" I said in an as innocent voice as possible.

"Isabella is an a very sensitive state. She can not handle a relationship right now. Especially a physical one. I think it is good that she stay her friend. but other then that..." She began with a stern look on her face.

"I agree. I have no intentions of being physical with Bella. I will be whatever she needs me to be. I will always be there for her, no matter what."

My bluntness surprised her. She stopped, thinking over what I said. "Good. She needs friends right now. She especially needs to know that not all men are evil right now."

I nodded at her words. When the doctor was satisfied with my response she walked off after saying a brisk goodbye. Then I heard the words.

"Where's Edward?" Bella sniffled softly to her father.

I was in the room only a second later, closing the door gently behind me. "Sorry, the doctor wanted to speak to me."

"The doctor said I could go home after we get everything signed." Bella said as played with the hem of her thin hospital gown.

"That's fantastic! You'll be more comfortable at home." I sat on the edge of the bed. She bit her lip, thinking. She looked up at me through her slick black eyelashes. I could almost see the thoughts forming in head.

I turned to Charlie. "If Bella's going home, maybe you should run and go get her some clothes."

He looked surprised then looked at Bella. He felt guilty of not thinking of it before. "You're right. I'll be right back." He got up quickly and left without another word.

Bella sighed softly, rubbing her hands over her swollen cheeks."What is it, Bella?" I touched her cheek lightly, trying to be as gentle as possible.

"I don't want to be without you." She whispered, looking a little embarrassed by her words. She didn't need to be. She didn't even need to say it.

"I told you I won't leave." I rolled my thumb over her cheek.

"Dad said he wanted me to stay out of school for the rest of the week. I don't know if I could wait two days." She looked at the fabric between her fingers, twisting the blue cloth.

"Listen to me. I won't leave. I'll always be near by, even if you're not in my arms." I pulled her chin up so she could look into my eyes. I wanted to show her how serious I was. She smiled slightly.

"What about school?" She asked me, truly curious.

"Been there, done it all too many times before. I don't mind missing a week." I told her honestly. I could teach those teacher a thing or two million.

Her smile grew wider. She leaned into me, pressing her warm cheek against my neck. I held her close to my body. I rocked her gently, rubbing my hand up and down her back.

"You smell like heaven." I whispered more to myself than to anyone else. I could breath in her aroma all day.

"I smell like I need a shower." She groaned. I couldn't help but laugh at her words.

"I still think you smell nice." I kissed the top of her head, pressing my lips to her hair, which tasted lovely, even though I could taste a little dirt.

_ "Ready or not..." _Carlisle's mind called to me, he was down the hall with the papers to get Bella out of this dreadful place. He knew that we were both excited about getting out.

"My father is coming..." I whispered into her hair.

"Does he know that I know?" She asked me as she lifted her eyes to meet mine.

"He'll understand. I'm not sure if he knows I've told you yet." I pulled some of her hair from her neck. A strong wave of her scent hit me directly in the face. I breathed in greedily.

"Will he be mad?" She said softly, pulling me out of my moment of euphoria.

"No. He knows love though. He'll understand, like I said." I explained.

"Love?" She whispered the word, her heartbeat increasing twenty fold.

I simply nodded. I could feel her smile against my skin, but she didn't say a word. I rubbed her back firmly. Carlisle came in and rolled his eyes slightly at the sight, but he smiled.

"What?" I asked innocently.

_"So, you've told her. I know love huh?" _he smirked. _"You don't have to try to butter me up. I'm not mad. I can't tell you what the rest of the family thinks..."_

He turned to Bella, a small smile playing on his pale lips. "Well Ms. Swan, I've come to spring you, once again!"

**So, we're on the third chapter now. Do you still like the changes?**

**Also, if there are any mistakes, I'm sorry. I'm still stoned from my medication.**


	4. Chapter 4

All the paperwork was done by the time Charlie came back with the clothing. He held a bag filled with things. "I had no idea what to get you." It looked like he just grabbed a dresser drawer full of random things. Bella searched through the bag, making faces as she went. Each was more adorable and annoyed than the last. I pressed my lips together so not to laugh.

"Gee, Dad, you really had no idea did you?" She pulled out a white holey tank top, examining it. "I don't even think that's mine."

"Sorry kiddo, I was in a hurry." He said as he looked away, completely embarrassed. Just like Bella, he blushed.

"You know, I really need to get some female friends..." She muttered under her breath and I couldn't help, but chuckle. I knew what was coming down the hall though. She was going to have a female friend weather she wanted one or not.

"Knock, knock!" Alice bounced through the door. She had a small designer over night bag over her shoulder. "You must be Bella! It's so nice to finally meet you." She put the bag down on the bed and hugged Bella tight. Bella looked a little shocked by the action, but hugged her back willingly.

"I hope you don't mind. I brought you somethings you might need..." Alice had the good graces to look down, trying to hide the obvious pride she had in herself. "I hope you don't mind, I know it's hard for a dad to pick clothes out for a daughter..." She smiled apologetically at Charlie. She was trying her best to look like the innocent little mall rat. She was doing a rather good job of it. Alice could easily win a Tony or an Oscar for her performances. I knew better though.

Bella slowly opened the bag, like she was afraid of whatever was inside of it, and her face brightened, her eyes sparkling. "This is great!" She cried as she looked through the items inside. "I'll be right back!"

She literally hopped off the bed and went to the bathroom. I could tell she was excited about getting cleaned up, and some fresh clothes. I could hear the water coming on and off as she showered quickly, using the shampoos and soaps that Alice provided. I could hear her sigh with relief as she felt somewhat clean in the first time in almost twenty four hours.

"Thank you" I mouthed to my little sister.

"_I saw that Charlie had no taste, I did what I could on such short notice." _She smiled brightly at me, giving me a little wink.

"I'm Alice Cullen, by the way. You must be chief Swan." She hugged him, much to his surprise. He smiled at her, instantly coming under her spell.

When Bella came out of the bathroom after ten minutes or so minutes she was fully clothed in black yoga pants and a black hooded jacket with silver stars all over them. Even the slip-on shoes she had were black and silver. They were comfortable, and gave her an innocent look, which was something she needed at the moment. I'm sure she felt as if her innocences was gone, even if it was far from the truth. Bella ran to Alice and crushed her into a hug.

"Oh my god! Thank you so much. I cannot describe to you how wonderful this all is. Everything fits perfect, how did you do it?" Bella continued to squeeze my dear sister, who was beaming like a fool.

"I have a thing for fashion, what can I say. I have the eye." Alice giggled, pulling back to look at her handy work. _"I like her."_

"Come on, lets get you home. Thank you both so much." Charlie said, breaking up the moment as he grabbed the discarded bag and reached for Bella's hand. She recoiled slightly and turned to me.

"I won't be far behind. I promise." I touched her shoulder, letting my hand slide down her arm, in a comforting way. She still looked panicked though. She needed more reassurance so I touched her cheek gingerly before I spoke. "Go to the pharmacy, pick up your medication. I promise I won't be ten minutes after you." She seemed to relax slightly after this.

I walked her to the cruiser and helped her get inside. As soon as the door shut, Charlie turned to me, his face completely serious. "Thank you Edward, but I can take it from here."

"I made her a promise. I will not break it." I said firmly. He looked slightly shocked by my unwillingness to move from my position. Charlie was the chief of police and was use to being in control at all times. He turned his eyes towards his daughter, who was sitting in the car, her hands in her lap twitching nervously, then sighed.

"I'll see you soon. Do you know how to get to the house?" He asked quietly as he walked to the other side of the car. He was hoping I'd get lost in the woods somewhere.

"Yes, sir. I can manage." I said politely, ignoring his mental commentary. It was hard to keep the smirk from my face.

"Fine, see you then." He said in a sour tone as he stomped to his side of the car.

I couldn't tell him I could get there in my sleep. If I slept, anyway. I had been in Bella's room before. I had watched her sleep, several times. She was so lovely when she dreamed, but now I feared her nightmares. I hated that she felt pain.

I drove a hundred-twenty miles per hour back towards my home. I didn't even slow down to speak to my family as I darted to my room. I changed quickly, changing into jeans and a button down shirt. I headed back down stairs, slowing down a little as I saw Alice standing in the doorway.

"Edward, she won't be home for another thirty minutes if you want to run to the store and get her something. A little gift, maybe?" Alice smiled at me as she leaned against the wall. She was twirling her car keys with her fingers, still looking rather proud of herself.

I grabbed her up in a hug and kissed my sister on the cheek firmly. She laughed and hugged me back. "Thank you. You did a good thing earlier."

"Like I said: I have an eye for fashion." She said playfully. My family in the other room called to me with their thoughts, extremely loudly. I put Alice down, letting her rest on her feet.. "Yes, Edward. I'll deal with them. Go. Go get your girlfriend some presents so she feels better." She swatted my arm, practically pushing me out of the door.

"Thanks, Al!" I called to her over my shoulder as I sped back to my car.

I went to the nearest store, which was only five minutes away, well if you were going the speeds I was it was only five minutes away, and grabbed a small hand held basket. I started shoving things into it. I could only guess what she'd liked at this point. I hoped I was at least close. The cashier simply smiled at me as I handed her the money. She thought I was going to have a lazy weekend or that I was baby sitting.

I pulled in behind Bella's rusted... _thing_. I wondered briefly what she would do if I bought her a new car. Maybe something small and blue. But, I suppose, that would have to wait. I had more important things to attend to first.

I was half way up the walking path when Bella opened the front door. She ran to me, wrapping her arms around my neck pressing her body against mine. I dropped the plastic bags I had in my hands to the ground and gripped her tightly to me. Her heart beat was so fast that I thought she might have a heart attack. Tiny sobs broke from her lips as she buried her face in my neck.

"Shh... I'm here, what's wrong?" I whispered into her hair.

"I just... I don't know... As soon as I'm away from you I get scared. I feel like I'm going to die." Her tears soaked my shirt,again. I rubbed circles into her back, letting her cry it out.

"Then I won't leave again. I'll stay here until you're sick of me." I teased, well, partially.

"I hope you like me because you're going to be here a very long time." She half laughed and half cried.

I smiled at her and pressed a kiss into her forehead. "Lets get you inside, the cold isn't good for you."

She nodded and tried to pick up one of the bags that I dropped but I snatched it from her hands before it could get a foot off the ground. "A gentlemen never lets a lady carry anything." A cute little smirk played on her lips at my words. I could tell she thought I was being sarcastic, which was far from the truth.

"What is all this stuff?" She tried to peek into the bags as we made our way back to the door. She bit her lip as she pulled her finger around the opening of the plastic bag.

"I wanted to cheer you up." I told her honestly. It seemed a little childish to say but it was the truth.

"Oh, you didn't have to buy me anything! You company is more than enough." She pouted a little bit, her slightly swollen bottom lip jutting out. It looked so kissable.

"Well, some of it's for me too. Does that make it better?" I looked at her from the corner of my eye, trying to hold back my amusement. I don't think I was doing a very good job of it.

She scrunched up her nose, "Nope, not really. You still got it because of me."

"Oh, shush and get inside. I'll spend my money any way I want." I said to her playfully. I had the urge to swat her backside as she watched through the door because she was acting a bit like a child, on purpose I might add.

She sighed heavily, and rather dramatically. "Why do I have a feeling you're going to spoil me?"

"Because, I am." I said with a bright smile. She laughed at my silly grin. She had no idea how much I was going to spoil her. I had the time, the money and the energy to give her the whole world if she asked for it.

She escorted me to the kitchen and I sat all the bags on the table. She started to peek into them again. "What, did you buy the whole store?"

"Would that make you happy?" I started pulling things out. I arranged them all over the table so she could look through them if she wanted to.

"No!" She said, a horrified look upon her lovely face.

"Okay, it was just a thought!" I reached over and touched her hand as I chuckled. She turned her palm up and gripped my fingers almost instantly. Feeling her skin on me was like heaven on earth. It was like the softest of... well, there was nothing as soft as her skin. It was incomparable.

I finished pulling out all of our loot and started to feel a little silly now that I could look at it all like this. "Now, I figured you wanted something light so I got us Goofy and Donald Duck collection. It has every cartoon ever made that starred them. I also have Chip and Dale. That was always Alice's favorite. Also, if you don't like the older cartoons I've got the Looney Toons Collection. And, apparently it's normal to consume massive amounts of popcorn, candy, and soda while you're watching a movie so I got a little of everything." My words began to blend together as I rambled. I couldn't believe how nervous I was. I just wanted to make her happy. I got every single candy they had, along with a few different two liters of the popular soft drinks. I even got three different kinds of popcorn: unbuttered, buttered, and extra butter. "And, I got you this." I pulled out a fairly large navy blue teddy bear with a silk ribbon around its neck. I felt like a fool, offering a stuffed animal to a women I was in love with.

Bella was frozen in place, her mouth hanging open. I was starting to get self conscience very quickly. "Okay, I'll get rid of the bear..."

"No!" She shrieked and snatched it from my hands. She wrapped her arms around it tightly and squeezed. "No, I love it. Don't you dare do a thing to _my_ bear." She buried her face in the stuffed animal to hide her embarrassment at her outburst. It was so cute.

"Do you like everything?" I asked softly.

"I love it. Thank you." She mumbled into the bear, looking up at me through her thick brown-black eyelashes.

I couldn't help but smile. She was adorable. Charlie came into the kitchen, "Wow, who robbed the toy store?" He snickered.

"I thought maybe Bella would like something to cheer her up." I stuck my hands in my pocket, still feeling rather embarrassed about my purchases.

"That was awfully nice of you. Thank you." He smiled at me slightly, "Why don't I order us some pizza?"

"That would be great, dad." Bella answered. She still hugged the bear tightly to her. I was starting to get jealous of it.

"What would you like to watch first?" I picked up the handful of movies, trying to distract myself from my petty jealously of a stuffed animal.

"Chip and Dale." Bella said shyly.

The day went fairly quick. We started at opposite ends of the couch and somehow by the end of the day she was laying with me, wrapped in a blanket. Still holding the bear, I might add. I twisted my fingers in her hair, watching her laugh at the asinine antics of the cartoon characters. Charlie was glad to have such a kid friendly distraction. By seven o'clock though he was falling asleep in his beaten up lazy boy recliner.

Bella got up and touched his arm. She was so gently, like she was afraid to scare him. "Charlie, go to bed."

He sucked in a heavy breath and rubbed his face. "I'm fine." His voice was gruff, thick with the short nap he had in the old recliner.

"Liar. You were snoring. We're just going to watch more cartoons. Go to bed." She knelt beside his chair. "Please?"

"Alright. Make sure to lock up after Edward leaves." He said before he shuffled to his room. His thoughts weren't very clear and I wondered if he could even make the stairs. He somehow did and fell into his bed, not even bothering to change his clothes.

She came back to the couch. "I don't want you to leave." She whispered just in case Charlie could still hear us.

"Then I'll stay all night." I told her softly, holding her gaze for a long moment. She turned her face away, blushing.

"I don't think Charlie will like that." She leaned against me.

"He won't know . What he doesn't know won't hurt him." I spoke into her hair, leaning my face down into it to take in the glorious smell.

"He's a cop. I think he'll figure it out when you're car is in the drive way in the morning." She turned to look at me, a skeptical look on her face.

"Just trust me. I'll take care of it." I smiled and kissed her hair. "Let's watch Goofy next."

She nodded. I turned it on for us, not really wanting to get off the couch. I was enjoying sitting with her like this. It was something I never thought I'd be able to do. I sat back down on the couch and pulled her onto my lap. "You know, I'm surprised you're not freaked out by my cold skin."

"Actually, I love it." She nestled into me. "When those... those... _men_... touched me they were hot and sweaty. It was awful." She began to shake.

I held her tighter to me. "It's alright. I won't let anyone hurt you again."

She pressed her face into my neck. Small tears rolled down her cheek. The wetness made her aroma ten times stronger. I took a long sniff of her fragrance, letting it fill my nose. She smelled so delicious. I felt a small bit of venom drip into my mouth. I swallowed hard, pushing it down my throat. I would have to hunt tonight while she was asleep. She looked up at me with a confused expression. "Are you hungry?"

"A bit, but I'm fine." I explained. Sometimes I hated how observant she was.

"Are you sure? You can go if you want..." She trailed off slowly as she began to sit up. I could tell she didn't really want to.

"If I had my way I would never leave your side." I pulled her back to me, wrapping my arms firmly around her waist.

"I love you..." she whispered, blushing a bright shade of red. She turned her face away. I couldn't believe those words left her lips. It was almost impossible to understand. How could she love me?

"I love you, too." I kissed her cheek, leaning my forehead against her temple. Bella brought her hand up to my cheek, stroking it with her thumb. It was silent between us for several minutes. Slowly, I turned my eyes back towards the television, which we had both forgotten about.

"You know, I remember when these first came out. They would put them in the beginning of movies. Sometimes they would be better than the actual movie. Goofy was always my favorite." I rambled a bit, suddenly feeling nervous for the moment we just had.

She turned to me slowly, "How old are you?" Curiosity danced in her brown orbs.

"Physically or actually?" I didn't really want to answer. I didn't want to scare her or put her off in any way.

"Both." She pressed. She looked truly curious.

"Seventeen"

"Which is that?" She touched my hand, pushing for the real answer.

"I was seventeen when I was changed." I averted my eyes back to the television. I hated having this conversation.

"When were you changed?" She logically asked next.

"So full of questions little human girl." I smirked, trying to make the subject go away. I knew that wouldn't happen though. If Bella was anything she was stubborn. I had already learned that.

"Please?" She stuck her bottom lip out.

I took in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly through my nose before I answered."1918."

"Oh..." She looked for her hands for a second.

"Is that okay?" I didn't know what else to ask. It wasn't like I could change anything about it. I was going to be stuck like this for the rest of my days.

"Yeah, that's fine... old man." She grinned up at me. I snorted at her playfulness. Sometimes she knew exactly what to say to make the tension go away.

"Well, as long are you're okay with it... little girl." I poked her stomach and she giggled.

"Anyway..." I rolled my eyes. "Like I said, Goofy was my favorite. I always loved the how-to ones. The dancing is the best."

"I think I need that..." She looked away, embarrassed, a light stain of red across her full cheeks.

"What, a how to dance video?" I smiled slightly. I could understand that. She was completely graceless, not that it mattered to me.

"Yeah, I can't dance at all." She played with one of the feet of the bear, trying to avoid my eyes.

"I'll teach you." I lifted her chin, smiling at the thought of having her in my arms.

"I can't walk right, what makes you think I could dance?" She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"It's all in the leading." I lowered my face closer to hers, only a few inches away. She smiled and looked a bit dizzy for a minute. She leaned her head against my shoulder, closing her eyes..

"Are you okay?" I asked, concern coloring my tone.

"You make me happy..." she whispered.

"You make me happy, too." She did more than that. I thought my un-dead heart might explode from my chest, just from having her near me.

We watched two and a half hours of Goofy. I loved feeling her body shake with laughter. I loved how her heart fluttered every time I touched her. I loved watching her sleep with her head in my lap. I was falling in love with everything about her. When the movie was over I clicked off the television with the remote and scooped up Bella into my arms. I took her up the stairs to her room. I laid her gently on the bed, pulling the blanket over her. I went to sit in the rocking chair in the corner of the room but she stopped me.

"Edward..." she whimpered. I thought she was dreaming at first and stood stock still to see what would happen next.

"Lay down with me, please." She asked in a small, sad voice. I would not, and could not, deny such a simple request. I kicked off my shoes and crawled in bed beside her. I kept the blanket between us so she wouldn't get too cold. She pressed her back against my chest and snuggled in close.

"Can I spend the rest of eternity holding you like this?" I asked as I lowered my face to the crook of her neck. I wanted to kiss the slender column, but I resisted, instead breathing in. Her scent pushed through my body, making me tingle with the pleasure of it.

"Yes, please." She muttered right before she fell into a deep sleep. I hoped that her night would be as peaceful as her afternoon, but of course, that was a silly hope.


	5. Chapter 5

I waited a couple of hours before I untangled my body from Bella's. She shifted restlessly, reaching for the empty space. I took the teddy bear and placed it in her arms. She cuddled it close to her chest and hummed in pleasure as she pressed her nose to the top of it's head. I brushed a strand of hair from her eyes and kissed her forehead as lightly as possible.

"You're so beautiful" I whispered so softly so I wouldn't wake her up.

I hopped from the window effortlessly landing on my feet without a single noise. I ran quickly to my car, speeding home at an amazing pace. I didn't want to waste a second by being away from Bella. I ran into the house, practically flying up the stairs, and grabbed a backpack from my closet. I stuffed a change of clothes into it, trying to think of something else I might need.

"How is she?" Carlisle said as he rested against the door frame, his hands in his pocket. He honestly didn't look much older than me in his khakis, his button down white shirt with his sleeves rolled up past his elbows.

"I'm not sure honestly. Whenever I am away from her she seems to... breaks down. When I am around her though... she seems so... calm. Like nothing ever happened." I explained as I zipped up the black back pack.

"It's not uncommon for people to created strong feelings towards the people who rescue them."

Carlisle explained, trying to keep his thoughts mainly to himself. I knew there was more to his thinking, but I wasn't going to push it. I'd ask, but if he didn't want to answer, I would not force him.

"Do you think that's all it is?" I said in a quiet voice. "A crush on hero figure?"

"No," he shrugged off the wall and walked towards me. _"I see the way she looks at you. It's the way that Rosalie looks at Emmett or Alice looks at Jasper." _

"I hope you're right." I sighed, throwing my bag over my shoulder.

"I am." He smiled. "Like you said. I know love. I see it when you look at each other."

I chuckled at my use of words earlier against me again. "How angry is everyone?"

"Alice and Esme are falling over themselves practically. They are so excited. Jasper is happy as long as Alice is." Then, he started to block his thoughts from me again.

"Emmett and Rosalie?" I pressed. Rosalie was the most opposed to this relationship, from the very beginning. She'd be the most upset. I wasn't sure how Emmett would react. He never liked to see Rosalie mad, in anyway.

"Emmett is Emmett. He could care less. It's just something else to tease you about. Rosalie on the other hand is mad. Very mad. She's wondering why you would throw everything away for a human girl."

"Do you understand why?" I looked at him, trying to mask my anxiety. His opinion was the only one that matter in the end. And, even then, I think nothing he could say would keep me away from Bella. Not now.

"Of course. I just happy you're happy. I trust your judgment. You know what's right for you." He smiled slightly, patting my shoulder.

"Thank you, Carlisle. No son had a better Father." I shook his hand, smiling gratefully at him.

"Bella is lucky to have you." He winked at me as he started to head towards my door.

"Trust me, it's the other way around." I looked down at my feet. I would be blushing if I could. "Besides, you have to say that."

He smiled and chuckled, "No, I don't and you know it. Go have a good night, okay?"

I simply smiled at him and ran back out of the house. It was nice to run through the cool woods, not having to worry about my speed. It didn't take me long until I was less than a mile from Bella's home. I searched the woods there and within thirty minutes I had found two deer, draining them completely dry without spilling a single drop. My thirst was satisfied, for now at least. Deer never lasted very long. I was beginning to feel the anxiety build in me. I didn't like being away from her. I walked back towards her house, my backpack still over my shoulder as I crunched towards the sleeves.

I heard flickers of thoughts. Whoever it was in the woods was trying to keep their thoughts as silent as possible. It was defiantly vampire. "You really care about her, huh?" I turned to the soft voice to the right of me. My youngest, or actually if you thought about it, oldest, brother was leaning against a tree, his eyes trained on Bella's home.

"Yes. Why, Jasper?" I walked towards my brother, coming to stand beside me.

"I wanted to let you know that I support you." He didn't look at me, but towards Bella's home nodding his head. "I've never felt you this happy and even if I don't understand it, I think you deserve as much happiness as possible."

"Thank you. That's good to know. It's always nice to have someone on your side"

"It's hard going against the norm, isn't it?" He chuckled. I could feel a wave of amusement come over me, showing that he was joking.

"Yeah, if we weren't already freaky enough..." I snorted.

He smiled but then his face suddenly fell, twisting in agony that was not his own. _"She's scared. So scared," _he repeated over and over again in his head. I could tell it was almost causing him physical pain. I took off like a shot running faster than I ever had before. I scaled the wall in a second flat, slipping into the open window.

Bella whimpered in her sleep, her body shaking. Tears streamed down her face. She wasn't screaming... yet. I had to keep that from happening or she'd wake up Charlie. I dropped the bag from my shoulder and knelt beside her bed. I took her hands in mine. I began to kiss the silky flesh of her palms, humming softly in a comforting tone. The shaking slowly stopped as her heart rate decreased.

"Love, wake up please. It's just a nightmare." I whispered softly so not to scare her.

Her eyes fluttered open slowly. They were completely glazed over with tears. "Oh... Edward..." She scooted her body closer to mine, not lifting off the bed. She pressed her forehead against mine, taking in deep breaths. Her breath spread in my nose and her tears covered my flesh. I left like I was a part of her. I placed my hands on either side of her cheeks, stroking her temples with my thumbs.

"I'm sorry, I had to hunt. I never should have left."The guilt began to wash over me, twisting my heart.

Her arms snaked around my neck. "I'm sorry. I feel like I'm keeping you prisoner here. You shouldn't be stuck with a co-dependent freak."

"I drink blood, hear other peoples thoughts and never sleep. You're a freak?" I teased. I was going to make sure she understood this part of me completely. She could never be a freak compared to me.

She laughed slightly, a small smile spreading over her lips. She placed her fingers on my cheeks. They were so warm that they felt like were on fire. She pulled back slightly and gazed into my eyes. Bella's eyes were the most amazing shade of chocolate brown. I'd never seen a color so rich.

"May I kiss you?" She whispered, a scarlet red spread over her skin.

I felt a nervous happiness spread through my body. I simply nodded to afraid to make a fool of myself is I did speak. She leaned forward slowly and pressed her lips against my forehead, and then to my cheeks. I couldn't help but smile at her innocence. She pulled back for a second, collecting her thoughts. She took a deep breath and leaned closer. Her eye lids drooped shut as she pressed her lips to mine. I could feel the blood beneath her skin, the warmth of soft tongue. Her pulse quickened as the kiss deepened. I felt like I would explode if I did not stop. But, I didn't want to. It was too wonderful. Her tongue dragged across my bottom lip, making me shudder. I slide my hands to her neck and as gently as I could, I pulled her back.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't of done that..." She said, embarrassed.

"You did nothing wrong. That was..." I leaned forward and capture her lips again. It only lasted a few seconds, showing her how much I loved this. I felt selfish though, wanting her. She'd been so hurt and I couldn't take the chance of hurting her even more. Doing damage that can't be undone. "Amazing Bella. You are amazing." I whispered as I pulled back. I rested my head against the bed. She shuffled her body so that she laid her head a few inches from mine.

"That was my first real kiss." She whispered, looking extremely embarrassed by her words. I loved her honesty.

I smiled brightly at her, letting my fingers drag over her cheek as gently as possible. I wanted to tell her that it was my first kiss as well. I wanted to tell her so many things but I wasn't really sure where to start. The words came out before I could stop them. "I love you."

"I love you,too." Her smile was weak and her eyes were heavy with sleep. "Come back to bed." She muttered, her speech slightly slurred. She patted the bed with her hand, her eyes already closing.

"Yes, ma'am." I kicked off my shoes and crawled in beside her. She pushed herself closer to me and rested her head on my chest, one of her hands resting on my hip. I felt my stomach twisted a little at feeling her touching me.

"Oh, Bella. If I weren't so selfish I'd tell you to run away from me." I leaned my face into her hair, taking in a deep breath. I would never get enough of her scent or her skin.

"I'd never run from you." She spoke into my chest, her fingers gripping tighter to my jeans.

"You should though. I'm a monster." I said sadly.

"If you're a monster, you're exactly the kind of monster I'd want to be." Bella said as she slid her hand up my side and over my shirt.

"Don't say that. Please." I whispered, my voice almost cracking. I didn't want her to be like me. The very thought made my heart twist in pain.

"Even if I didn't say it, it would still be true Edward." She looked up at me, and even if she looked sleepy, her words were strong. She believed it completely. I didn't want to talk about this anymore.

I pulled her completely on top of me and held her as close as possible. Her cheek rested against the crook of my neck, her warm breath spreading over my icy flesh. "Go to sleep. You're so tired." I began to hum to her softly as I pulled the blanket around her beautiful little body. I knew it wouldn't take more than a couple minutes for her to fall asleep.

We laid there the rest of the night like that. It was amazing. I never imagined when I use to watch her that one day I would lay with her. It was the nicest feeling in the world. I hated moving from her when Charlie woke up but it would be a very bad thing if he came in and found me laying with his daughter, especially after what had just happened. But, I felt like a fool for hiding in her closet. This is what teenage human boys must feel like.

At six in the morning he knocked on Bella's door. Bella stirred awake slowly then began to spin her head around. I knew exactly who she was looking for. I whispered "I'm here," so softly that I was surprised she heard me but I could see a small smile spread across her lips through the grates of the closet door.

"Yeah, Dad?" She said after clearing her throat and trying to keep the smile off her face. Bella was doing a poor job at it.

He opened the door slowly and stood at the brim of the room, like he was afraid to come in completely. "Hey kid, how are you?"

"I'll live," she commented as she straightened the blankets around her legs. She was rather embarrassed by the simple question, a splash of red across her cheeks.

"Listen, I've got to go take care of some business at the station. If you don't want to be alone I can hold it off or you can come with me..." Charlie sputtered out quickly. It was almost as if he had practiced his lines and wanted to say them before he forgot them. He wasn't sure what he should do or what she'd want. He didn't know his daughter very well and it bothered him.

"Oh.. Go ahead, Dad. I can take care of myself for a while. How long will you be gone?" She picked the fuzz off the blanket, not looking directly at him. They were both so awkward.

"A few hours, if that's okay." He looked down at his feet. I could see the guilty thoughts forming in his mind.

"It's alright. Really. I'll probably be asleep most of the time you're gone anyway."She smiled at him reassuringly.

"I'll bring us back some dinner. What would you like?" The guilt still filtered through his mind. He didn't know what would make her feel better. At least food was a start in his mind.

"Anything is great. Go, you don't want to be late for work." She smiled, teasing him a little bit and he relaxed a little. She did exactly what she needed to make him feel a little bit better about this. I wondered if she knew this or if it just came naturally.

"I can't be late. I'm the boss. I'm on time whatever time I arrive." He chuckled a bit. He wondered briefly if he should hug her, but he quickly changed his mind. Bella didn't react very well the other day when he touched her. He didn't want to frighten her. "Bye kid."

I waited until he was out of the house before I slipped out of the closet. Apparently I was extremely quiet because Bella didn't even notice. She flopped back onto the bed, her eyes closed. She ran her fingers over her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She looked so worn out. I didn't know what to do to make it better. I wish I could.

"You don't have to be so noble." I commented as I sat down in her rocker. Bella's eyes popped open, shock dancing in her dilated pupils. She sat straight up and pressed her hand to her chest, directly over her heart.

"Jesus, you scared me." She mumbled breathlessly.

I couldn't help but laugh at her overly dramatic reaction to me. I honestly didn't mean to frighten her. I knew it didn't matter if I were a vampire or a human, it still would have happened because of how unobservant she was. She relaxed, her heart dropping to a normal level, and smiled at me. "I'm not being noble. I will be fine, as long as you're here."

She pulled herself out of bed and walked towards me. Every step was slow, careful, like she was unsure if I really wanted her near me. I opened my arms and she giggled, practically jumped into my lap. I wrapped one of my arms around her waist, the other going to her cheek. It felt so natural to have her this close to me. She was made to sit on my lap, and to be in my arms. She was made for me, as much as I was made for her.

"How mad do you think your Dad will be if I'm here when he gets back?"I asked as I stroked her long silky hair, which was a tangled from sleep.

"Are you bullet proof?" She snickered, a smirk playing over her gorgeous full lips.

"Okay, well that answers that question. Sarcastic." I chuckled." When I hear him coming back, I'll leave briefly and then return. Is that okay?"

"If you must." She sighed, a frown forming. I wanted to make it go away so badly.

"Only for a few minutes. I promise. I'll let you have dinner with your Dad and then I'll come spend the evening with you again." I kissed her cheek. I wanted to kiss her lips again but I didn't want to frighten her. I would let her start the deeper kisses to make sure she was comfortable.

"Come on, lets go get breakfast." Her arms wrapping around my neck for a moment tightly. She hugged me for what didn't seem long enough and then stood up. She offered me her hand, like I needed help up. I followed behind her down the stairs to the kitchen. I sat down at the table as she began to pull out things to cook. She made them typical American breakfast: eggs, bacon, and toast with butter.

"Mm... nothing says good morning like seared pig." I teased. I honestly hated the smell of human food but I would take it to be around Bella.

She laughed and sat her plate down at the table. She went to the fridge and grabbed a glass of orange juice, she looked over her shoulder at me, batting her eyelashes. "What do you have against my seared pig?"

"Nothing. I think it has something against your heart though." I pointed out, trying to keep myself from laughing. She stuck her tongue out at me and then took a rather big bite of the bacon.

"I have a question." She nibbled on a piece of the buttered toast. "What would happen if you ate some of this?" She waved her hand over plate.

I picked up a piece of the greasy bacon without a word, looking directly into her eyes. It felt disgusting against my skin and it made my stomach twist, but I had enough practice to not let it show. I brought it to my lips and took a large bite and swallowed it down without chewing. Bella watched me with open curiosity.

"How is it?" She asked, amusement coloring her tone.

"It's... disgusting." I had to fight the urge not to bring it right back up. I finally dropped the mask and showed my distaste for it. I wanted to wash my mouth out with mouthwash or something, but I knew it would do no good. She giggled at the face I made and snatched the bacon from my fingers.

"Then don't waste perfectly good bacon." She took another large bite. I eyed her carefully. I shouldn't have done that, well at least not let her have it back. I should have thrown it away, or eaten the whole thing. The thoughts of the venom didn't cross my mind until it was too late. I continued to watch her, but nothing happened. No screaming, no writhing in pain. Bella noticed me watching her as she took another bite and raised an eye brow.

"Is watching me eat that interesting?"

"It's been a long time since I actually really watched humans eat." I lied. I felt a slow rush of relief flow through my cold veins. She seemed completely fine, thankfully.

She rolled her eyes and finished the final piece. She ate like she'd never eaten before. I could practically hear her stomach purr in joy at being so full. I smiled at her, simply glad that she was eating well. Becoming sick because of malnutrition would be a bad thing right now. She was too thin as it was.

"What do you want to do today?" She asked as she went over to the sink and started the water. Scrubbing it quickly, she washed all the eggs and such away.

"Whatever you desire." I grabbed a towel and stood beside her. I took the wet plate from her hand and dried it carefully before placing it in the cabinet where it belonged. I wanted to feel at least a little bit helpful since I didn't provide her breakfast. I didn't know how to cook. I would have to change that very soon.

"I'd desire a bath and some more time in bed, maybe. Is that okay?" Her eyes were wary as she asked the question. I could tell she was worried about my answer. Bella should have known better.

"As long as I'm with you, it doesn't matter." I told her honestly. We could rearrange her closet if she wanted it.

She smiled, leaning against the counter. "Thank you" she whispered in a sweet voice.

I took her hand and lead her back to her bedroom. I didn't want her to worry about what she wanted to do. I sat on her tiny bed as she searched for her things for her bath. She clutched a small bag to her chest, along with a change of clothes. "Don't go anywhere." She commanded playfully.

I became completely still, and even stopped breathing. I would be her personal statue if she so desired. She laughed, "Okay, you can move." I instantly softened at her words, giving her a crooked smile.

I listened to her footsteps fade down the hall. When she started her water I decided it was time to change my clothes. I did it rather slowly so I wouldn't be listening to her. I didn't want to invade her privacy. I folded my clothes neatly and placed them back into my black backpack, placing it into the closet to grab later.

I sat back on the rocker and listened to the flowing water as it crashed to the ground. It was a soothing sound, almost as soothing as Bella's heart beat. I closed my eyes and listened to every little movement. It felt so much like eavesdropping but I couldn't help it. The water shut off and I heard another sound.

I heard her sink into the bath tub, breathing deeply. Her breaths became more ragged and cries erupted from her chest. I could hear the sounds of her hands through the water. I could just imagine her bringing her knees close to her body as she hugged them, rocking back and forth slightly.

My body moved without my control. I moved outside of the door and listened closer. Her sobs were loud in my ears. I touched the door knob but then thought twice.

"Bella, are you okay?"

I heard the water shift. "I'm alright. It's okay."

"I wish that was true." I placed my hands on the door. I don't think she heard me or she chose to ignore it.

"I won't be much longer, I promise." I heard the water move again. The strawberry scent of her shampoo wafted from underneath the door.

I sat down beside the door. I could still hear her crying as she moved quickly to clean herself. I could tell how hard she was scrubbing her body just from the sounds.

"Oh, Bella. My poor Bella." I whispered.

**So, just to let everyone know, I'm still in the hospital and now they've found an infection! Oh, joy. I'm never gonna leave lol someone come rescue me. **

**Anyway, what do you think of this chapter? Some of the changes are a little bigger in this chapter. I hope the writing is okay. I'm still feeling loopy.**


	6. Chapter 6

I waited as patiently as I could by the door. Which was very patient at all. I pressed my forefinger and thumb to the bridge of my nose and breathed in slowly. This was so frustrating. Bella's heart rate was quicker than normal as the tears continued flow. I wanted to run in to the small, steam filled, bathroom and clutch her to my body. I wanted to kiss her pain away.

Fifteen painful minutes later she finally emerged from the bathroom. She was clad in khaki shorts and a black tank top, her feet covered in black knee socks. Her hair was slick, still wet, because she didn't bother to blow dry it. Bella knelt beside me in the little hall way, only a foot or so away from me. I didn't say a word as I brought her closer to me, my arms wrapping around her waist. I let my legs slide down and she placed herself on my lap, practically straddling me. I held her for a long time before I let her move, even a little bit. I felt a little bad that she was comforting me in a way, but I think she felt better like this. She leaned back, a small smile playing on her full lips. Sweetly, she dragged her fingers over my cheeks, her thumbs grazing my temples.

"Lets go watch Donald Duck." She tried to sound cheerful, as she pushed a bit of hair out of my eyes.

I didn't answer her but picked her up, bridal style, and took her down the stairs. I didn't trust myself to speak at the moment. Her arms wrapped around my neck, her face pressed against my chest as she smiled. I laid her down on her father's recliner, making sure she was comfortable. I started the movie on and finally turned to her. I finally found my voice, clearing my throat. "Do you need anything, love?"

"I wouldn't mind some popcorn and a drink..." Bella trailed off. "I'll get it though. I know you don't like human food." She began to sat up, but I pushed it her back down into the seat gently.

"I'll get it. I think I can handle that." I said as I rolled my eyes. I could certainly handle making a bag of popcorn. It couldn't be that hard. I rushed into the kitchen and pulled out one of the boxes of popcorn that I got the night before. I read the instructions on the back of the box carefully and stuck it inside of the microwave, pressing the right time. While it cooked I pulled out a bowl for the popcorn and a glass for some soda. It felt oddly normal to do this for her, like I was suppose to.. Normally, I would have been completely sickened by the thought of touching human food. But, she wanted this and I could do it for her. I was happy to do it. I added ice to the cup and poured the drink slowly. Watching it foam was interesting, something I'd never done before. Sodas were still developing when I was human and they were far different from what they were now, not that I remembered much about it.

I pulled out the popcorn the microwave and poured it into the bowl. I decided to also grab some of the candy that I bought the night before and shoved it into my pockets. That was another first. My pockets were overflowing with sugar. Bella was giggling in the chair when I returned, with her feet pulled underneath her as she watched the show. "Here you go, I hope this is okay." I said as I offered her the bowl.

She took it from me and a small smile spread across her face. "It's prefect." Next, she took the soda and took a small sip, then placed it on the TV stand beside her.

"I also thought you'd like some of this." I pulled the candy from my pocket, it was practically overflowing from my hands. She giggled sweetly before taking all the candy from my hands. She picked out one of the packages, a yellow bag, and placed it in . The rest of the candy was set on beside the soda.

She stood up and motioned for me to sit down, waving her hand over the worn seat. I did what I was told, making myself comfortable. She sat in my lap, the bowl of popcorn in her lap.

"What does that taste like?" I asked her with real curiosity, pointing at the bowl.

She didn't answer but offered me a piece, amusement glittering in her eyes. I could tell she was teasing me. I decided to play along. I snatched it from her fingers in a quick motion with my mouth barely letting my lips touch her skin. She giggled and retracted her finger, grabbing her own piece of popcorn.

"What do you think?" She cocked her head to the side, tossing the piece into her mouth.

"I think it taste like cardboard. Or at least, I imagine it does." I made a face, scrunching up my nose.

"May I ask what happens when you eat regular food?" She stuck another piece of popcorn in her mouth, chewing slowly, while she was waiting for my answer.

"Trust me, you don't want to know. You should have seen Carlisle's face when I first became a vampire and decided I wanted to eat something. I wanted to be human again and I thought that would do something to help. Boy, was I wrong." I chuckled as I pulled a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Carlisle is your father?" Her question surprised me. I thought that she might ask about my first human food experience.

"Yes, in a way. In the ways that count anyway." I explained to her.

"What do you mean, in a way?"

"He changed me after my parents died." I stated softly. I didn't have any real emotion about it now. Bella's face scrunched together as she thought. I wondered briefly if her black eye hurt when she did it. If she did, she didn't let anyway notice.

"I'm sorry," Bella said finally. I could tell she was a little nervous to ask her next question." How did they die? How did he change you?" I could tell why now.

"You're so full of questions" I muttered, looking out the window.

"Please..." she whined softly. "I would like to know."

"Fine." I sighed. "They died of Spanish influenza. Carlisle changed me because my mother begged him to save me. He's always said it seemed like she just knew that he was different. He had been alone for so long. He needed a friend. I was the first he changed. Honestly, I don't remember much about my human life." I said in a quick rush. I really hadn't talked about this to someone who wasn't a vampire. My family knew the story, but no one else.

"How did he change you?" She asked again, bringing a piece of the popcorn to her lips.

"I won't tell you that. Not right now." I muttered angrily. She didn't need to know about that. She shouldn't have to worry about it at all. She seem to understand and dropped the conversation. She seemed a little sad about my refusal, which made me feel bad. I sighed, and ran my fingers over the back of her neck. She didn't pull away, so that was a good sign."I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I understand. But, one day, will you tell me though?" She looked at me with hopeful eyes.

"We'll see." I leaned my face into her hair. The scent wafted through my nose. It was like a drug, something I couldn't go without. I didn't want to talk about this anymore. She seemed to realize that and for a long while, we sat silently watching the movie.

I heard Charlie's thoughts. He was about three miles away. I growled to myself, not wanting to go yet. "Bella, I have to go for now. Charlie is coming."

She turned towards the clock, her eyes sad once again. "I was hoping we'd have more time alone." It was only a little after noon. Though, he did say he would only be around four or five hours. He didn't want to leave for that long so I'm surprised that he didn't show up sooner.

"I'll be back around two, okay? It won't be that long. Will you be okay?" I stroked her cheek. She nodded weakly, her eyes glistening slightly. I leaned in slowly to kiss her lips but stopped. I had to let her come to me, so that I would not scare her. Bella smiled when she realized what I was about to do. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips gently to mine. Her fingers wound into my hair. As she pulled away, I almost felt like she'd taken my breath away."I'll be back before you have time to miss me." I pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before I rushed out the door. If I didn't leave now I never would.

I never slowed as I ran back to my home. It took less than ten minutes to get there. The breeze was refreshing. I breathed in the forest air deeply, letting it fill my lungs. I could still taste Bella on my tongue though. No one was home when I got there, which I was very happy about. I decided to take a quick shower. I could feel the stress build up in my body now that I was away from my Bella.

I stood under the warm stream when the emotion hit me, hard. The guilt that washed over me was like a poison, like venom, burning me from the inside. I had let this happen to her. I should have been paying better attention. She'll be damaged for the rest of time because of my carelessness. I was put on this earth to protect her, to be with her, and I failed. I slid down the wall of the shower and sat there for a while, letting the water rush over my already soaked hair..

The feelings were overwhelming. It seemed like being with Bella kept them away. Nothing else mattered when I was with her. As long as she was in my arms the world was a place I wanted to be. Without her I wanted to drown in my pain and guilt. The only thing that got me up was the fact I knew that this was doing her no good. I dried off quickly and redressed in my clothes from earlier in the day. I could smell Bella on my clothes.

As I walked back to my car, I thought of what I could do for her today. Of what I could do to make her smile, of something to keep her mind off of all this. To be completely honest, I didn't know what she liked to do. I needed to learn everything I could about her. Though, I did decide I would stop by the florist to get her something. I loved seeing her react to that bear, perhaps she would be as equally happy about flowers.

It didn't take me long to pick out what I wanted. There wasn't much to chose from, but I did find something I thought would fit. Two dozen roses in every shade of red, pink, white, peach and yellow that you could think of. Esme would have liked them. _I hoped she had a vase,_ I mused when as I glanced at the flowers on my passenger seat.

As I got closer and closer I heard Charlie's thoughts. They were beyond frantic. They were just like the night that she was... _raped_. I stepped hard on the gas, pulling the car forward as quickly as I could. When I pulled into the driveway Charlie's mind screamed in mine. I didn't bother to shut the car door or did I bother to knock. I was lucky I didn't break the door to a million pieces when I came in. I ran straight towards Charlie, who didn't even seem to notice me until I spoke.

His eyes were frantic as he knelt beside Bella on the couch. I slid down to my knees beside him. "What happened?" I demanded.

"She was okay for a few minutes, when I first got here. But, then she didn't eat and she started to shake. She screamed and cried but now..." He waved his hand over his daughter. She laid flat on her stomach, her face turned to the side. Bella's eyes were wide and unblinking. Her bottom lip was slightly bloody, where her teeth pressed into her flesh. The scent made venom pull in my mouth and I swallowed it back to speak.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I'm here. It's okay." I rubbed her back. Her heart beat was slow, but not dangerously so. It almost seemed like she was catatonic. I brought my hand up to her cheek and pushed the hair out of her face. Her eyelashes were slightly matted with tears. I listened to her breath. It was slow and shallow. _"I should have never left."_ I cursed myself so quietly that no one besides me could hear it.

"Wake up, honey." Charlie touched her hand. Like a shot, Bella sat up and brought her hand up to her chest, pulling her knees up to hide her flesh. Her eyes were unseeing, starring out into nothingness. She rocked herself gently, mumbling to herself.

"Please, no, don't. Don't touch me. Please." Her arms wrapped around her legs, whispering to herself.

Charlie looked utterly broken. Tears fell freely from his eyes. I reached to touch her but paused. I turned to Charlie and he simply nodded, understanding what I was asking with my eyes. _'Is it okay to touch your daughter even if you can't?'_ I brought my hands to hers and pried them off her legs. She whimpered slightly but did not scream or recoil.

"Isabella, it's me. I'm here now. Everything will be okay." I sat beside her on the couch. I moved closer to her and brushed my lips against her forehead. Her skin was covered in a cool sweat that was salty sweet. I ran my fingers over her temple and she turned her face towards mine.

"Edward?" She asked slightly confused. She blinked her eyes several times and then took a large breath. She leaned her head down onto my shoulder and I pulled her close to me. Her tiny fingers clutched to my side.

"It saw it all over again. It was like they were doing it... all over again. I wanted to die." Bella muttered into my flesh, crying again.

"No, don't say that. I'll be here for you. I will always be here for you. I will never, ever, let anyone touch you again. Do you understand me, Bella?" I felt anger well up inside my chest. I was not angry at her but at myself and those monsters.

She nodded. I looked at Charlie who I felt so awful for. He took a deep breath and set back on the couch while I continued to rock her. He was mentally exhausted.

"Bells, I took some time off so I can be with you. Also, I wanted to ask if you wanted your mother to come up from Florida..." He began, talking slowly.

"No!" She shrieked which surprised him, making him jump. "No, Charlie. Please, I just want to go back to normal. It'll be okay. I'll be alright I promise. Just give me until Sunday, okay?"

"I'm not leaving you alone. Look what happened when I was here!" He cried, his face turning a dark shade of red. He didn't like the way she was acting, becoming rather angry.

"Sir, I'll stay with her." I spoke up before it got any worse. It wouldn't matter what he said. I would be here with her no matter what. But, it would be easier to have his permission.

"Edward, that's very nice of you, but I don't think that's a good idea. You can't miss school and I can watch Bella myself." His face was practically glowing, it was almost purple. "You can't spend very waking minute with her." He nearly growled.

"That's up to Bella." I stated simply. He growled again and threw his hands up.

"I can handle this myself." He shouted. Bella cringed into my body.

"Daddy, please. Just until Sunday. I'll go back to school on Monday and pretend nothing happened." Bella whispered.

He threw his hands up again. "Fine. I'm not going to win this am I? Next week you're going to the doctor though. You can't just pretend this never happened."

"No..." she sobbed, her body shaking slightly with her heavy tears.

"Bella, I think your father is right. It might be a good idea to see a doctor." I stated in soothing voice.

"Fine..." she sobbed again. I could tell she was angry about this, but she knew we were right about this. She pressed her face into my neck, her body calming slightly.

Charlie mouthed '_Thank_ _you_' to me, even if he wasn't happy about this. There was nothing he could do though. I would hold her for forever if that's what made her happy. He also seem to notice that I was the only one that could keep her calm. That's all he wanted from her daughter. For her to be happy and calm.

"Bella, I'm going to take you up to bed, and I'm going to bring you some of your pain medication." It wasn't a question, but almost a command. She wasn't going to argue with me on this.

I put my arm underneath her legs and swiftly moved her up the stairs. Charlie was a bit surprised by the action, and how easy it was for me to carry her, which I ignored."I don't need pain pills." She whined weakly.

"You are in pain. I know you are and there isn't any shame in it. Plus, if you take them I have something for you."I spoke to her in a sweet, soft, tones as I sat her down on the bed.

"Oh, you didn't have to give me something." She sat up, pouting slightly. I knew that me getting her something would distract her, even if it wasn't exactly the way I wanted it to be.

I pressed her down as gently as possible. "Do you remember what I told you last night? That I'll spend my money whatever way I want."

She sneered at me and tried to sit up again. "Edward..." I knew the tone was suppose to be a warning, but I couldn't take it as one.

"Bella... if you don't lay down I will strap you down."I warned as I pushed her down once more. She groaned but did as I asked.

I ran to my car first, at a human pace of course, grabbing the flowers and shut the door. I went back into the house. I grabbed a small glass of water and one of her pain pills from the kitchen. I held the glass and the pill in one hand and the flowers behind my back as I went into her room, walking this time. Once I came into the room she tried to peek behind my back. "What is it?"

"Take this first and then you'll see it." I smiled at her innocently, holding out my hand.

She smirked and took the glass from me. She took the pill and threw it back into her throat. Bella swallowed it without drinking the water, placing the water on the small table beside the bed. She opened her mouth to show that she took it. I rolled my eyes at her sarcastic action. I pulled the flowers behind my back. Her face instantly brightened.

"Oh Edward, they're beautiful." She took them from my hands and brought them to her nose. She drew in a long, deep breath through her nose. She placed the flowers down on the table and rose to her knees. Her arms wrapped around my waist, looking into my eyes.

That's when she did something that I did not expect. It was beyond a simple test. This was the moment I found out if I was a man, or a monster.

She leaned forward quickly, her lips crashing into mine. The blood from earlier still clung to her lips. She deepened the kiss further, forcefully. The blood smeared against my cool flesh. The blood and saliva mixed creating the most delicious flavor I've ever tasted. No candy could be as sweet. She tasted like heaven. My throat buried wildly. My fingers found their way to the back of her head, grabbing her hair tightly. I pulled her back slightly. She was panting, blowing the scent of her blood into my face, making it ten times worse. The blood was smugged against her lips, making them an even more tempting shade of red. I could see the blood pulse under her skin, the sound of her pounding heart in my ears. The venom swirled in my mouth.

"Oh, my God..." I breathed.

**So, Bella's breaking down. She's showing some of the real emotion behind her calm face. **

**I changed a lot in this chapter. Do you like it? I like this chapter a lot. Sorry if there are any mistakes.**


	7. Chapter 7

"Bella, I need you to do exactly what I tell you to. Do you understand me?" I said in a harsh rush. Her eyes went wide with surprise and hurt. I hated hurting her in any way but this was far better than killing "Bella, do you understand?" I demanded, making each word sharp to keep her attention.

"Yes..." She whispered sadly. Her eyes were starting to well up with tears.

"Go to the bathroom. Brush your teeth and wash your mouth out with mouthwash. Clean your lips, and your face just to be safe. And, don't come out until I tell you to. Go, now!" I pulled back away from her, backing up towards the window.

Her hand went up to her lips, understanding what was happening and why. " Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry..."

"It's fine, go Bella! Don't think about it, just go." I didn't wait until she was out of the room to dart out the window, landing on my feet. I ran through the woods at an insane pace. I grabbed the first living things I could find: a large family of rabbits. I drained them dry, throwing their corpses to the ground angrily.

I sat in the forest for a moment, letting the scent of the trees take away the scent of Bella. Beautifully delicious Bella. I rubbed my temples to help calm myself. The venom was still flowing in my mouth, but I could control it now. Standing quickly I ran back to her home. The whole scary event didn't take five minutes.

After I climbed through the bedroom window and finding the space empty, I went to the bathroom door. I could hear Bella brushing her teeth. I leaned my forehead against the door. "When you're done, it's okay. You can come out." I mumbled.

I went back to her room and sat down on her bed. I felt so horrible that I pushed her away but proud of myself for not killing her. I just hoped I didn't hurt her, in any form or fashion. When she came out I could smell the peppermint of the toothpaste all the way from the bathroom. She smiled sadly at me. "I'm sorry."

"Bella, this is in no way your fault. Not at all. I'm sorry..." I rubbed my temples again, willing the dull throb to go away. I could hear Charlie down stairs trying to get his nerves up to come up here to talk to us. He had apparently received a phone call while we were having our little... _test_. It was something that would upset Bella, most likely.

"Edward... I know what you are. I just need to be more careful." She moved a bit closer, slowly. I could tell she was trying not to scare me away, which I thought was rather odd. Our roles were somewhat reversed.

I stood and took her hands in mine, rubbing soothing circles against the top of her hand. "I'm the one that needs to be more careful."

Charlie finally got his courage up and started stomping up the stairs loudly, as if he was giving us warning. I pulled Bella onto the bed carefully and then went to sit on the rocker. Bella looked at me with a confused expression, her eyes narrowing. I nodded towards the door. She understood and sat back some, getting more comfortable.

"Hey, kids." He didn't look at either at us as he spoke. "I need to talk to you about something kind of important."

"Go ahead." Bella waved her one of her tiny hands in front of her, giving him a small smile.

"Well, it's about what happened the other night. I got a call the morning after you were..." He trailed off, not able to finish the sentence. "From the Chief there in Port Angeles. He found an abandoned house burnt to the ground with four bodies in it. We put their DNA in the system, along with the DNA that they took from you. I pulled in some favors for a quick job. I had a kind of a feeling and I was right. One of the guys was a match..." He spoke quickly. Like the words were a band aid and if he said it fast enough it wouldn't hurt as much.

"Oh..." Bella crossed her arms over her stomach, almost like she was trying to protect herself. Her eyes flickered over to me then back to her father. "Do they know what happened?"

"Well, it looks like the fire was caused by a small explosion. They believe the house was a Meth lab. The men that were found have a long record of drug dealing, assault and other... _felonies_." He looked at Bella, fear in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm alright. I guess I won't have to worry about them anymore." Her eyes flicked back to me. I moved from the rocker to the bedside, sitting beside her. I took her hand in mine.

"All that matters is that you're okay." I told her. "Are you sure?" Looking directly into my eyes, she nodded.

Charlie looked confused. He was sure Bella would react in some way. Instead, she was utterly calm and that scared him even more. _The calm before the storm._ "Are you sure you're fine? Do you need anything?"

"Not really. I'm good. Hey dad, wasn't there a game coming on soon?" She glanced over at the clock.

Sighing heavily, he gave up. He didn't know what to do about all this anyway."Yeah... Let me know when you kids get hungry. I'll figure something out. "

"Thank you, Charlie." I called to him as he walked out. He decided to drown out his worries in basketball, which I suppose was far healthier than beer. He went down to the living room and plopped down into his chair, clearing his mind of all thoughts other then sports.

I wrapped my arms around her waist when I was sure we were completely alone. "Are you really okay? It's okay if you're not. It would be understandable."

"Yes. I already knew they were dead. How did you fake the whole... scene?" She wrinkled her nose at the thoughts. I knew what she was imagining: the burnt bodies.

"Actually, I had no idea exactly what happened and how they did it. Alice did it. I'm going to have to thank her later." I told her honestly as I ran my fingers through my hair.

"Alice? Really?" She snorted, holding back a laugh. "Yeah, when I think of disposing dead bodies I totally think Alice."

I couldn't help but laugh. She had a point, even if I didn't like how easily she was talking about dead bodies. "Actually, she may be small but she's vicious. And, she's quick."

Bella laughed quietly, " I can see that actually."

Since she was in an okay mood I decided to talk about earlier a little bit. I pulled a piece of hair out of her eyes. "I'm sorry about earlier." I whispered.

She leaned her forehead against mine. Her lips were an inch away from mine, completely tempting and tantalizing. I couldn't smell any blood and the wounds were sealed, but I wasn't going to take any chances. Her heart rate increased slightly as she pulled back to look into my eyes. She brought her bottom lip in between her teeth as she gazed at me, a light stain of red covering her cheeks. Her innocence struck me for some reason.

I placed my fingers on her cheeks and brought her face closer to mine, controlling the situation completely. I lightly kissed her upper lip, letting my nose touch hers. "In a couple days, I'll give you a proper kiss."

She nodded, smiling a little sadly. Just then her stomach growled, loudly. She clutched her stomach and blushed. I was so wrapped up in Bella that I didn't hear _her_ before. There was a soft, almost musical knock at the front door. I could hear Charlie heaving himself out of his chair, only to be greeted by a very hyper and happy Alice.

"Oh, BELLA! I've brought you something for DINNER!" My loud little sister called. I smiled to myself. Bella giggled quietly.

"You should watch out for her. She's too sneaky for her own good. But, she almost never means any harm." I told her as I pulled her to her feet. I lead her down the stairs, carefully so that she wouldn't trip and hurt herself.

Alice brought to-go from Charlie's favorite tacky restaurant, The Lodge. She brought steaks, baked potatoes, green beans, and salads. She even brought dessert and a gallon of iced tea. Alice was Charlie's new favorite person. He offered to pay her several times, which she of course dismissed. We excused ourselves from eating, stating that we were not hungry, and headed into the living room. I didn't feel like watching her father take down an entire cow by himself. I got that enough from my brothers. We sat on the couch and turned the television on. Alice scooted in close so that we could talk.

"They found the bodies." I spoke so softly only she would be able to hear.

"I know. It's fine. I planned it that way." Her eyes stayed on the screen as she explained. I wish she had let me on to the plan. I was slightly surprised by what happened.

I wondered if Alice saw what happened earlier. I was almost sure and I knew she'd want to talk about it. I wondered what the different outcomes would be."This afternoon I almost..." I looked at my hands, unable to finish the sentence.

"No you didn't. You never once decided to bite her. You didn't even think about it, because you didn't want to hurt her Edward.. You did the right thing and she understands." Her eyes flicked over to mine for the briefest of seconds.

"But, I could have..." It was another sentence I could not finish. It was too painful to even think about.

"No. You couldn't. Trust me." She flashed me a small smile, her eyes twinkling.

"How's the weather going to be tomorrow?" I changed the subject quickly, having enough of her optimism. I knew I'd never feel the same way as her about what just happened.

"Rainy. Saturday will be sunny." Alice stated after a moment.

I thought about that for a moment. I couldn't be with her in the house then if Charlie was here. Maybe I could take her out, take her to my favorite relaxing spot. I would have to convince Charlie though. I wasn't sure how to do that.

"Oh, Edward! That's a lovely idea. She'll love it. I think I can handle Charlie for you." Alice smiled brightly at me before hopping up from the couch. I could see the near future flutter through her head and I almost chuckled.

I watched from a distance as Alice sat down at the table, looking as sweet and innocent as possible. "Charlie, can I borrow your daughter on Saturday?"

"What for?" He took a large bit of cheesecake, speaking with his mouth full.

"Well, I wanted to have a girl's day. You know, spa treatment. And, I can't do that alone! If Bella's up to it, she can stay the night with me!" Alice was so cheerful and confident. Charlie was putty in her tiny, wicked, hands. I could practically see him melting.

"I don't know, Alice. I don't know if Bella's up for it." But, he did think it was a good idea, that much was clear in his mind. He didn't like how much time Bella was spending with me.

I moved into the kitchen silently. Bella's eyes flicked up to me without Charlie noticing. I smiled at her slightly, I winked playfully. Then she let her eyes float back down to Alice who's smile was almost the same. "So, Bella. What do you think about spending the day at the Cullen's?" Alice said in an almost sing song voice.

"I would love to. If it's alright with Dad." Bella looked at him hopefully, her large doe eyes pleading.

Charlie looked up from his cheesecake, surprised by her response. "I don't know honey. Are you ready for something like that?"

"Oh, Mr. Swan, my dad is going to be home all weekend. She'd be in safe hands. And, you know, I've heard it's going to beautiful weather..." Alice trailed off.

"Yeah, Dad. Go fishing Saturday with Harry or Billy. How often does it not rain?" Bella played with her potato, trying not to look at her father.

This idea sounded like heaven to Charlie. He was so stressed that a day by the lake would be a perfect release for him. He wanted to but he didn't want it to seem like he was too eager to dump his daughter off for the weekend. "Alright, but if you need a thing you call me. And, I'm still taking tomorrow off..."

"No, please Dad. I'll be fine. Don't use your sick days on me." She forked her potato over and over again, still refusing to look directly at him.

"Bella..."

"I need some time alone." She said rather bluntly. Her eyes finally met his and he backed down. Bella could be so strong sometimes, and it surprised even her father.

"Alright, fine. But, if you feel even the tiniest bit... _anything_. You have to call me." He finished his cheesecake, pushing away from the table.

"I will be with her, sir. If that's alright with Bella." I finally spoke up.

"Yeah. Okay." He muttered under his breath. It's not that he didn't trust her or me. Actually he hated the fact that Bella was so calm around me. He felt like a failure as a father. He knew I wouldn't harm her. I hoped he was right. I suppose, I knew he's right. I was surprised he trusted me so much.

"Yeah, and I'll come by after school. I'll bring your homework." Alice smiled brightly. Bella smirked at her and I couldn't help but chuckle. I could almost see the sarcastic remarks forming in her mind.

"Don't worry, I'll help you with it." I ran my fingers over the back of her shoulder as I helped her out of her chair.

"Oh, fun. A Friday evening of homework. And, I'm sure a couple more evenings as well." She muttered.

"It won't be so bad." Alice touched Bella's hand. I could see the vision of Bella and I studying whirling through Alice's mind. It was a lovely sight. Bella was smiling and I was laughing as we laid on the floor in the middle of a pile of books. I smiled down at Alice. She winked at me playfully.

Alice and Bella did the dishes together. Charlie went to watch a game in the living room. I couldn't help but watch my two favorite girls interacting. Alice honestly wasn't a girl, but she was my best friend, next to Carlisle. Alice truly liked Bella and I could tell Bella felt the same. They talked easily, laughing and splashing each other with water. I thought briefly for a moment what it would be like to have Bella join our family.

Alice's head twisted quickly towards mine. I saw the vision of Bella, beautiful, but dead. Cold like me. We laid in a bed, our bodies intertwined, completely nude but covered with sheets. I saw a wedding band on her ring finger. She was smiling. I shook the vision from my mind. Alice practically jumped in place._ "Oh, you'd be so happy! Look at how happy she is. She's so pretty... I'd love to have another sister. She'd be perfect!" _Her mind went a hundred miles per hour as the vision finished.

I said it so low that only Alice would hear. "I won't damn her." I growled angrily.

_"That's her choice." _She thought as she turned back to the dishes.

"It's also mine." I retorted.

Bella turned and watched our silent exchange. Her eyebrows knit together for a moment. "Can you... hear her, too?" She waved her hand towards Alice.

"Yes, I can't tune her out." I muttered under my breath.

"Alice, do you have a special... _gift_?" Bella turned back to the sink, whispering so Charlie couldn't hear. I don't think he would have heard it if she'd been shouting, honestly.

"Yup! I see possible futures." Alice took the final plate to dry it.

"Oh, can you see mine?" Bella said playfully. I growled softly, giving Alice a warning.

"Yes, you're going to have a very good weekend." Alice spoke simply. She put the plate away in the cabinet. _"I don't see her future changing, even with you changing your mind. Don't be so cranky about it."_

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. It was only six in the evening. Bella had already had a long day but I'm sure she didn't want to sleep yet. I wondered if she was in pain, but she didn't act like it. Her black eye was already starting to fade, a light yellow now. Most of the small scratches were gone. The cuts with stitches were a different story. She would be scarred in several places. I wondered if the scars of her heart would ever heal.

"Well, I'm going to head out. Me and Jazz are going to watch a movie. Have a good night!" She called the last part to Charlie. She placed a soft kiss on Bella's cheek and slapped my shoulder as she walked by. _"Get over it._ _It's not changing."_

"Jazz?" Bella asked as she walked towards me.

"My brother, Jasper." I took her hand. I glanced at the stairs, making sure her eyes followed mine. She nodded understanding my silent quest.

"We're going to listen to music, Dad." Bella called to her father who simply grunted in response.

We quickly headed up to her room. She turned on a small CD player on, keeping the music low so we could talk. I smiled when heard that it was a band that I liked as well. "Linkin Park? Really?" I smiled slightly.

Bella blushed for some reason, looked down at her hands. "Yeah, it was a gift from my step dad. I didn't like it at first ,but now... I think they're quite good."

"I have this CD in the car right now." I took her hand and lead her to the rocking chair. I sat first and let her slid onto my lap, letting her get more comfortable.

"Can I ask a question?" She asked after a comfortable moment of silence.

"Another one?" I smirked. "Do you always have so many questions?"

"Yes, another one." She returned my look, ignoring the last part of my comment.

"I suppose." I softened at the look of her lips pouting. I didn't want to scare her off, but I wouldn't lie to her either. It was a delicate balance until I found out what she could handle.

"Are Jasper and Alice... together?" She looked embarrassed.

"Yes. For... oh, five odd years now. Not as long as Emmett and Rosalie. They don't feel the need to get married over and over again like Rose and Em, but they love each other madly." I played with a strand of her hair, simply happy it was an easy question to answer.

"They're both married?" She leaned back again me.

"Yes. Don't be too surprised if we're going to another wedding in a couple years." I chuckled. Rose always loved being the center of attention and Emmett would give her the world if he could.

"So, are they like normal married people?" Her cheeks turned scarlet. It took a moment for it to dawn on me what she was asking.

"Yes, they are... " I pressed my lips to her cheek. Her heart sputtered. I didn't like where this conversation was going. I searched the room for a distraction. I turned my eyes to her tiny book shelf. All the books were worn and torn, read many times over.

I picked Bella up and took her to bed. She seemed surprised at first but went along with it. I sat her under the covers and then knelt in front of the book shelf. I turned my eyes back towards hers. Her eyes were confused, her lips slightly parted as she watched me. "How would you like it if I read to you?"

**So, how do you like the changes to the very beginning? It's one of my favorite parts of this story. **

**I'm still in the hospital. I'm never going to leave at this rate. I'm going to be alone a lot over the next few days while up here, so I'll work on a bunch of chapters for this. So, if I get real sick, I'll just be able to post and not worry about it. **


	8. Chapter 8

I would have thought she would have fallen asleep after just a few minutes of me reading to her. She seemed to tired but she fought off the sleep, all but taping her eyelids open. I honestly didn't think that the Da Vinci code was that interesting, but she seemed fascinated. She let me decide the book and I choose the less worn. I knew it had very little to do with romance or anything of the sort, so I figured it was the safest pick. Bella had mostly classic romance. I didn't think they would be the best pick right now.

When her eyes finally began to droop, keeping closed for several seconds at a time, I shut the book with a little pop. Hey eyes snapped open sitting up quickly. "I'm sorry, I'm listening." She mumbled as she ran her hands over her eyes and through her luscious brown hair.

"No, you're not. You're tired." I smiled at her, sitting the book on the bed side table.

"I'm fine. Please?" She whined softly as she laid her head on my chest. Her fingers gripped my hips gently. The heat of her body was transferring to me, making me warm.

"Then what's the last thing I read?" I asked as I pulled her chin up to meet my eyes. She blinked, like she was trying to jog her memory.

"Um..." she blushed, looking away.

"That's what I thought." I smiled slightly at her and pressed my lips to her forehead.

"I just like listening to you speak." she whispered, her blush brightening on her pale cheeks.

"Well, I'll talk to you all day tomorrow, and Saturday." I smirked at her. She snuggled closer to me, placing one of her legs in between mine. I sucked in a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of her tangled up with me far too much. I wasn't going to tell her to move, that's for sure.

"Am I really going to be doing a spa day with Alice?" She traced tiny patterns on my chest with her nails, bitting her bottom lip making it a kissable red.

"Actually, I was hoping to take you somewhere special. Special to me anyway." I explained. She looked up at me, her large brown eyes sparkling with tears. I placed my hands on her cheeks, "Bella, we don't have to do anything if you don't want to."

"No. I want to. I really, really do. It just makes me happy that you want to share something with me." She murmured as a tear slid down her cheek. I leaned forward and pressed my lips to her cheek, kissing away the tiny tear.

"Go to sleep. You're tired." I whispered into her ear. I pulled a blanket around her, tucking her in sweetly. She shook her head but as I started to hum softly her body began to relax slightly. "I'm going to go in a few minutes, but I will be right outside. If you need me, all you have to do is say my name. When Charlie goes to bed, I'll be right back. I promise."

She shook her head again, gripping my shirt tightly, curling her fingers into the fabric. "No. I don't want you to go."

"I'll be right outside and when he has gone to bed I'll be right back in this bed with you." I repeated in a soothing voice. "Then, I'll hold you for the rest of the night. I promise to keep the dreams away."

Bella slowly nodded. I wanted to kiss her lips, kiss her worries away, but I didn't trust myself at the moment. If I did, I wouldn't leave at all, and nothing Charlie could do could stop me. I pulled her hands gently from my shirt and laid her back down on the bed carefully. Her face was half buried in the pillow, lulled to the side. I stood beside the bed for a moment and leaned down, whispering softly in her ear. "I love you."

I was surprised when she shivered, and her skin began to burn red. She turned her face towards mine, her eyes glowing and her lips trembling. "I love you, too." I wanted so badly at that moment to know exactly what she was thinking. I sighed and resolved myself to never knowing. I hated having to live with my curiosity. I suppose I would have to get use to it when it came to Bella.

I made a show of leaving for her father's sake. I would have preferred to go out the window. Honestly, he made me slightly nervous, even if I knew he couldn't hurt me. I called to Charlie as I left. "Goodnight Chief Swan."

"Where's Bella?" He turned from his game, his eyes narrowing on me.

"She fell asleep while reading. I'm going to head home now. " I waved once, heading towards the door. Grunting in response, he turned back towards his game. He thought briefly of checking on Bella but changed his mind. He didn't want to wake her up. It was probably a very wise decision.

I drove the car to a place in the woods that it probably wouldn't be spotted and waited. I wasn't but a few yards from there house, standing in the darkness. But, I knew I wasn't alone. It wasn't Jasper, but it was someone who I was very familiar with. "Hello, Emmett." I said quietly, my arms crossed over my chest.

He emerged from the darkness, his feet not even making a sound, which was surprising for someone who was as big as he was. Emmett stood beside me, mimicking my stance. "So, that's her?"

"Yes, it is." I said, a bit nervous as to why he was asking.

_"She seems scared."_ He thought to himself, then repeated it out loud. Sometimes he still forgot that I could hear his thoughts.

"Wouldn't you be?" I questioned him. Neither one of us had every gone through that, even if we had gone through our own tragedies. Only Rosalie could understand her feelings and she wasn't very happy with me right now. He nodded slowly, finally answering my question after a long minute.

"Do you love her?" He asked out loud, turning his dark amber eyes towards me. He was being rather serious for once and it surprised me. I enjoyed his momentary maturity though.

"Yes." I didn't have to think about it, giving him the answer before the question even fully left his lips. His lips curved into a large smile and I matched it easily.

"Well, good luck. That's all I can say." He slapped me on the back playfully hard. "Women are work."

" Speaking of women who are a lot of work...How mad is Rosalie?" I mused aloud. Rose was always mad, it seemed to me at least. Though she was fiercely loyal to her family, she and her needs always seem to come first. She hated change, and always voiced her opinions as loudly as possible.

"Actually, she's softening up. She still doesn't like the fact that you're hanging out with her, but she feels sorry for Bella. You know because of what happened to her..." he continued with his thoughts, _"she wishes that someone stopped Royce, like you stopped them."_

"I'm surprised." I admitted to my brother. I knew he would understand though. At times he thought her princess behavior was beyond frustrating. The lights turned off in the house, grabbing my attention away from our conversation. Charlie's thoughts were slurred in his head, barely even forming words. He would be out as soon as his head hit the pillow, of that I was almost positive.

"Are you coming home any time soon?" Emmett asked a bit hopefully. I could see by his thoughts that he missed one of his favorite sparring partners. Though we were completely different from each other, and he teased me horribly at times, we were still friends.

"I'm going bring Bella home with me on Saturday." Finally turning to look at him, I watched for his reaction. There was barely a flicker in his mind as he shrugged his large shoulders.

"I'll make Rosalie behave. If not, we'll leave." He stated, trying to think of a way to make his wife do something without having one of his arms ripped off in the process, or even worse: his jeep destroyed.

I snorted, laughing to myself. "Good luck with that."

"Thanks, you know I'll need it." He laughed in return and ran off into the night, barely making any noise at all. He was the slowest in our family, but he could still move when he wanted to.

I ran back towards the house when I'm sure Charlie was completely asleep, which didn't take very long at all. Bella, much to my surprise, was sleeping peacefully, curled up on her side underneath her quilted covers. I laid beside her on top of the blankets so not to make her cold, a few inches away from her warm little body. I didn't want to startle her with my icy touch, or basically suck her warmth away.

"Edward..." Barely above a whisper, she said my name in her sleep. It was soft and sweet, almost as if she as was calling to me. I reached to touch her lips but stopped myself. I wasn't sure how she'd react to that. After shying heavily, Bella turned over, her long arm flopping beside her on the bed. "Edward..." She said it again, but it was not the same sound. She shifted again, rolling over completely on her stomach. Her movements were becoming more jerky, quicker.

"EDWARD, HELP!" She cried out, nearly screaming it. I went to reach for her but stopped to make sure that Charlie was still asleep. It would do neither of us any good if he caught us together like this. I would be arrested for sure, and though that wouldn't be a huge deal for me, I'm sure it would cause greater problems with Bella's and my relationship. He was snoring loudly, and I clutched her to me before she could scream out again. She relaxed the moment my cool body touched her warm one. She mumbled my name again but this time it was sweet again. I wondered why me being here kept her so calm. Especially my touch.

She was silent for the rest of the night, her tiny body curled against mine, Bella's fingers twisted into my shirt. Once again in the morning I hid in the closet, like an idiot. I felt like a teenage boy, for once, who almost gets caught fooling around with his girlfriend. I suppose in a way, it is what I'm doing. Though, fooling around wasn't the right way to word it. Cuddling was far more accurate. Charlie came to Bella's room around seven in the morning and checked on her, simply sticking his head inside. She was still sound asleep and he sighed before shutting the door behind him. He hated leaving her and I didn't blame him. But, he also felt like he was doing her no good here.

I went to rocking chair when Charlie left, watching her sleep. It was only about thirty minute after her father had left. Rain was starting to pelt the ground, whipping loudly against the roof and windows. I loved days like these, where the rain was so heavy that you couldn't see five feet in front of yourself. A rather nasty gust of wind slammed against the house, making the window clatter loudly.

Bella shifted restlessly. I could tell by her shaky movements that she didn't like the rainy weather. Absently, I wondered why. I would have to ask her later. I wanted to ask her hundreds of things, honestly. I wanted to know everything about this girl that had become my life.

Bella was laying on her stomach when she finally woke up. She rose to her elbows, rubbing her face roughly with her delicate little hands. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and looked around her, her eyes blinking rapidly to get the sleep out of them. Her lips curved up into a large smile when she saw me. She turned over quickly, the blanket wrapping around her legs and sat up.

"Is he gone?" She nodded to her door. I nodded in return and her smile grew wider. She hopped off the bed and came towards me quickly. I opened my arms and she jumped into my lap, her arms wrapping loosely around my neck. I couldn't help but chuckle at her eagerness. It honestly match my own.

"You can go back to sleep if you want to." I told her after she yawned softly, rubbing her back gently.

"I'm fine." Bella said in a rather firm voice, one to show that she wasn't to give in. I let it slide, for now. " What do you want to do today?" She asked as she rested her head against my shoulder, her fingers playing with the curls at the back of my neck..

"I want to learn everything about you." I told her honestly.

She looked up at me slowly, her eyes curious. "Alright, but there isn't much to learn."

"Well, I'll be the judge of that. Let's see..." I thought it over for a moment. "What's your favorite color?" I began. I could already think of a million questions I wanted to ask. She seem to answer them all honestly, so much so that it made her blush at times.

Much of the day went by this way. I asked her every question that came to mind, popping them off too quickly at times. I loved when she blushed at some of her answers, a light pink stain splashed across her nose and cheeks. And, that response would start a whole new line of questioning. We didn't turn the television or the radio on once. She fascinated me. I made a mental note of all her answers, storing them away for the future. Some would come in very handy in the future. Like her favorite gem stone, her favorite food, her favorite flowers... One day I would have to take her on a proper date. She deserved to have a normal evening, even if her date was not.

I'm not sure how eight hours passed. Alice didn't even bother to knock when she came in after school. We were sitting on the couch, me still interrogating Bella. She was giggling furiously at something I asked for some reason and I couldn't help but chuckle in return. The way her face lit up when she was happy could make anyone happy.

"Aw! You two make a cute couple!" Alice cried, clapping her tiny hands together. She sat down her arm load of heavy school books and papers on the coffee table with a heavy thud. Bella blushed at my sisters comment and turned her face into my chest. I ran my fingers through her hear, soothing her.

"Ugh, please tell me that that isn't all for me..." Bella groaned loudly when she finally looked at the coffee table. "It's going to take forever to do."

"It's not as much as you think. I got a lot of it excused for you. All the teachers know what happened and-" Alice started, then stopped when she realized what she said. She knew she had said too much and Bella was about to react badly.

"They know!? How? How do they know?" Bella sat straight up, almost yelling, her face blood red with anger.

"Bella, it was in the paper honey. I'm sorry." Alice sat in front of Bella on the floor. "They didn't say your name specifically, but it's not hard to figure out. I really am sorry."

Tears almost instantly began to fall from her big brown eyes. I shot Alice a dark look and held Bella. I hushed her, rocking her back and forth. _"I'm sorry, it's easier that she knows now and not at the beginning of school on Monday. It would be far worse. Everyone knows... Jessica made sure of that."_

"It'll be okay." I whispered in her ear. She sniffled loudly, as she pulled back Bella rubbed her arm over her eyes roughly. She took in a deep breath trying to calm herself down.

"I'm so embarrassed, Edward." She placed both her hands over her eyes. I could feel my jaw drop with the shock of her comment. I turned Bella on my lap so that she was facing me, then pulled her hands away from her eyes.

"You have NOTHING, I mean NOTHING, to be embarrassed about. You are a victim. You did not ask for this to happen to you. No one will say a word to you about it on Monday. I promise you that. If they do I'll make sure they regret it. Do you understand me?" I nearly growled the words out. I was so angry. I was angry at those stupid little twits at school that would think less of Bella because of this.

"I'm sorry" She whimpered. Her eyes fell to her hands in her lap. "You shouldn't have to do that. You shouldn't have to worry about protecting me."

I took my hand to her chin. "You have nothing to be sorry for, love. I want to protect you. Let me, please?" She turned her eyes away from me for a moment. I sighed and laid my forehead against her temple. "I want to make sure you're okay. Please?"

She pulled back and nodded slowly, her hair bobbing. I looked over at Alice who had witness this whole exchange. She had a strange smile on her face. _"You love her so much. And, she loves you. She's going to love you for forever. It's so cute."_

I didn't make an attempt to response her. I wiped a tear away from Bella's cheek. "Why don't I help you with your homework? Alice, go make Bella some popcorn." I commanded her playfully, trying to lighten the mood some.

Alice snorted and got up from the couch. She was thinking some pretty nasty things at me. I tried poorly to hide my smile. She stomped all the way to the kitchen, her heels clicking on the floor. "If she blows up the kitchen, I'm sorry." I whispered.

Bella laughed softly, her tears finally drying. I grabbed the first worksheet off the top of the pile. I took a pen from a cup full of them on a side table. "Come on, the faster we get started the faster when get done." She said, sighing heavily.

By the time Alice came back with a bowl full of popcorn we were on the floor, both on our stomachs. Bella was working on an English worksheet, nibbling on the top every time she thought about something while I was looking over something for Biology.

Alice sat beside me, her legs crossed, placing the bowl beside Bella. She leaned over and looked at what Bella was doing. "Goodness, Bella, can anyone actually read your handwriting?" She teased.

Bella faked annoyance, sneering up at my sister. I took the sheet of paper from in front of her and looked it over for a moment. "Yes, this is defiantly chicken scratch."

Her mouth opened, forming the shape of an O and giving me a nasty look. She took a handful of popcorn and threw it at me, hitting me directly in the face. With popcorn in my hair, I fell back laughing. She laughed as she threw a handful at Alice, who was giggling at me. "Mean vampires."

"Aw, but you know you love us!" Alice patted Bella on the top of the head. She smirked at her before finally recovering her worksheet from my hands, snatching it away.

Most of the night went on like this. We went back and forth with silly comments when we weren't helping Bella on her homework. Even after Charlie got home, we continued to work. Bella did surprisingly actually finish her homework in one night. Her handwriting got worse as the hours past, simply scrawling out the answers as quickly as possible.

I hardly left her that night, barely leaving her side for ten minutes. It was barely enough time to move my car and to crawl back through her window. I cradled her to my body all through the night I was simply happy that she slept peacefully through the night. I loved the feel of her in my arms.

Charlie didn't check on her this morning, much to my surprise. He didn't even want to chance waking her. I watched the sun creep in the window as I held the beautiful women I was in love with. It couldn't have gotten much better. I ran my nose over her ear, bringing her in sweet scent. I kissed the nape her neck lightly, over and over again until she woke up. She squirmed in response, a smile spreading over her face, pressing closer to me.

"Good morning, handsome." She yawned. When she realized what fell from her lips, she blushed. I smiled against her flesh, trailing little kisses to her cheek.

"Morning, beautiful. Go get ready. Make sure to wear good shoes."

**So, I know that beggers can't be choosers but I was hoping that maybe you guys could help me get to 500 reviews this chapter? That would be really awesome. **

**I added a full page of detail to this chapter. I think it turned out well. I also fixed some holes in this chapter. There were will be more fixes in the future as well. Keep an eye out for them. **


	9. Chapter 9

Bella gave me a confused look before heading off to towards the shower. I knew my words were rather vague, but I wanted it to be a surprise. When she came out of the shower, completely clean, Bella was dressed in lovely dark blue jeans and a crisp white button down shirt. We were almost dressed alike, oddly enough. I'm pretty sure she didn't do it on purpose. She frowned a little bit when she noticed, the debate on weather or not to change obviously going through her mind. Finally, she decided not to, coming to sit on the bed to put on her shoes.

Most of the smaller cuts were completely gone now and her bruising had become mostly yellow, I realized as I watched her move gracefully, in her own way. Her black eye was slowly fading and her stitches in her cheek were only a slight pink. I knew she felt uncomfortable about the way she looked, taking great lengths to cover herself up entirely. She pulled on a large blue jacket, letting her body be swallowed completely by the heavy over sized fabric.

As we went to leave she reached for her keys. I snatched them away before she could. "What?" she asked. "I didn't see your car outside. I figured we'd be taking my truck" She place a hand on her hip, cocking it slightly to the side. I could tell she was trying to be serious but it was extremely hard to hide her amusement.

"I'll drive. You don't know where we're going." I replied as continued to try to hide my smile.

"You can tell me how to get there." Bella stated in a very serious tone. She tried to snatch the keys back from my grip, but with no luck. I pulled them above my head before she could just to lunge for them again.

"It'll be easier if I drive. You're new to this area and I know my way around..." I trailed off, still holding the keys out of her range.

Bella ignored my comments, obviously not swayed by them. Jumping, she tried to reach my hand again. This time though I let her grab them, but not before she knocked against me twice with her sad effort. "My truck!" She heaved as she pulled them from my loose grip. She smiled at her some victory for a moment before turning dramatically to stop out of the house. I chuckled at her playfulness and followed behind.

I groaned as I looked at the rusted piece of metal that she called a truck. It could barely move and I hated going slow with a passion. Bella clearly loved it though, so I wouldn't argue too much, for now. I slid into the passenger seat beside Bella not even bothering to put on my seat beat. Not like it would do any good anyway. Relaxing slightly, I leaned back and placed my arm across the back of the bucket seat, my hand on Bella's shoulder.

We drove mostly in a comfortable silence, except for when I pointed out where to turn. It seem to take forever to get there, and I practically had to bite my tongue to keep from complaining. I would really have to do something about this truck. When we finally got to the end of the road she turned to look at me, completely confused. "Is this where you wanted to go?"

"No. I'll show you." I chuckled as I slid out of the car. I quickly loped to the driver's side, offering my hand to Bella to help her to her feet. She took it with a smile and slid out, standing only about six inches away from me.

"Do you trust me?" I asked her, leaning in slowly to breath in her delicious scent. For reason she gasped, a shiver running down her body as her minty sweet breath fanned across my face. She looked more than a bit dazed.

"Of course. You know I do." She recovered after a long second, biting her lip gently as a heavy blush spread over her gloriously creamy white skin. I would have to ask her why she responded that way later on, but for now, I had plans.

"Good. Hold on." I grabbed her up, swinging her up effortlessly on to my back, making sure not to hurt her. When I started to run the scent of the wind, trees, and Bella mixed, filling my lungs. It was amazingly refreshing. Bella's hair whipped around my face as I felt her bury her face into the crook of my neck. The run didn't last a whole three minutes before we came close to the clearing that I was taking her. I stopped just before the light began to filter through the tree line, dropping her lightly to her feet.

She wobbled a bit, but quickly gained her balance, using her hand on my arm to keep from falling. I took her hand, kissing her knuckles before I motioned towards the light piercing the trees. I allowed her to walk in front of me, wanting her to see the beauty of the meadow before I distracted her. I unbutton a few of my shirt buttons, pushing it to the sides somewhat. I always liked feeling the sun on my skin.

"Do you remember what I said about sunlight?" I called to her. She was a good ten feet ahead of me.

"You said it was sort of a myth." Bella didn't turn as she answer but continued at a steady pace towards the clearing, her feet crunching over the under bush. I ran past her quickly without making a sound, going towards the center of the meadow. I turned my palms up to the welcoming sun. I closed my eyes, raising my face up towards the sky.

Bella gasped when she saw me, her hand covering her mouth. I opened my eyes to see her at the edge of the tree line, standing stock still. I knew what I must have looked like to her, my skin glittering in the light like polished diamonds. I must have looked like an alien to her. I sighed as I looked back up to the sky, waiting for her to run or scream.

"You're beautiful, Edward" She whispered softly. I looked forward in surprise, my eyes narrowing on her. She was moving towards me at a slow pace. She looked like an angel with the sun glinting off her shiny hair, one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. As she approached me, her hand out in front of her. She looked up at me with questioning, asking permission for what she was about to do with her eyes before letting her fingers drag over my uncovered chest, sliding them upwards. I shivered at her touch, breathing in deeply.

As I realized that she wasn't freaked out, happiness overwhelmed me. I wrapped my arms around her waist and spun her around, grinning wildly. She giggled loudly, wrapping her arms around my neck tightly. The wind whipped around us, making her hair fly around her. Her scent flowed around me, breathing it in deeply.

"Your... smell has changed." I said softly as I set her down to her feet, making sure she was balanced before I let her go.

"Oh well, that's a nice way of saying I need a shower or something?" She smirked, but her arms didn't move from my shoulders.

"No." I laughed. "I didn't say you smelled bad. You smell amazing actually. It's just... your scent is stronger. Sweeter almost." I lowered my nose to her neck, running it over it gently. She hummed in pleasure, tilting her head backwards so that her neck was completely exposed to me. I couldn't resist kissing it playfully, leaving a cool trail up to her ear. "You smell perfect." She giggled as I pulled her down to the meadow floor.

She sat up against me, resting her head against my chest. Her fingers danced in the palm of my hand, created the most amazing sensation. She watched my skin in the light, examining it carefully. "I guess it's not easy going out if you're shiny, huh?" She mused.

I laughed again. "No, it isn't at all. That's why we moved here. There are very few days that aren't over cast."

"I suppose that's where the legend comes from." Bella said absently as she shifted, laying down beside me. Her hair fanned out around her head, her fingers laced with mine, the other resting on her stomach.

We laid in the sun for hours, mainly in a silence that was only broken for the occasional sigh or words of love that were whispered between us.. I've never had this kind of peace with another person around, and it was amazing. Perhaps even the best gift I've ever had. I wondered if she understood how precious this time was to me. I pulled off my shirt completely so the sun's warmth could cover my body. Maybe I could take away some of the heat and save it for later.

Bella slid off her jacket and tossed it to the side. She quickly rolled over on to her stomach, her legs bent at the knee and crossed at the ankle. Playfully, she slid her warm little hand over my abs, sending a shock through my system. I closed my eyes and tried not to make a sound as she touched my flesh.

"Why don't you have a girlfriend or a wife?" She asked suddenly as she slid her hand up my chest to where my heart should have been beating and let it rest there.

"I do have a girlfriend." I stated absently, my eyes still closed. I could practically see her body tense through my eyelids.

Bella sat up quickly, the movement startling me a little bit. "Oh... who? If you don't mind me asking?"

I sat up on my elbows, completely and utterly surprised at such an insane question. She couldn't be serious... "You don't know?"

She shook her head, blushing a bright crimson red. As she looked off into the trees, I could see the hurt play across her face. She was serious, painfully so. The mood had been so light before, but now, it had completely changed. I wanted it to return to the way it was, and quickly.

I smiled to myself as the words formed in my mind as I decided to play it up a bit."Well, you see... she's this lovely girl. Beautiful, actually. Beyond so, if I was being totally honest. The very sight of her smile makes me melt inside. Her brown eyes... they take my breath away. I've never seen any so deep. Almost as if I could see her soul through them. And, you see, I would do anything to make her love me. Although, she's completely clumsy. I mean honestly, I've seen you... I mean _her_ trip over air."

She growled at me and pressed my shoulder as hard as she could, which wasn't saying much. I let her have her way and I fell backwards. "Well, yourgirlfriend is a lucky girl. Tell her I'm sorry about being clumsy. I know how it is."

I smirked and grabbed her up in my arms, pulling her on top of me. I slid one of my hands up her back to her hair, stroking it gently. "Bella, you don't honestly think I would tell you I love you and still be with another women do you?"

"I don't know..." Turning her face away as she spoke, I knew the answer to that question and it hurt a little.

I pulled her chin up with my fingers so that she could look directly into my eyes. Her own eyes were staring to glaze over slightly with tears. Her self confidence was gone, that much was obvious. I needed to show her that I loved her, and no one else. I ran my thumb over her bottom lip lightly, simply gazing into her eyes.. She parted her lips slightly, almost as if she was tasting me. I leaned in slowly enough to give her time to pull away. Our lips locked slowly.

Her fingers knotted into my hair, bringing me closer to her deliciously hot mouth. It became more demanding, more filled with desire with every passing second. It started to become overwhelming and without my permission my body reacted. Before I felt like I might lose control, I stilled myself, trying to become calm. She slowly pulled back when she realized that I had stiffened. "Sorry..." She looked away, embarrassment playing on her very feature.

"Don't be. There isn't anything that you should be sorry for. I'm just amazed that you... you want to be with me." I looked at her hand, which was resting on top of mine. They were tightly intertwined. Without even thinking about it, our body's seemed to seek the other.

"Why? Why does that surprise you so much?" She asked.

"Because of what I am. Bella, I'm a monster!" I nearly spat the words. She saw what I did to those men. "Why would you want to be with me?"

"Don't ever say that again." Bella commanded in a harsh whisper.

"Say what?" I asked gently, wondering what I had said that was so wrong. I said nothing that was untrue.

"That you are a monster." She took my face in my hands, sweetly rubbing her thumbs over my temples. "You're not. Not by a long shot."

I turned my face so to kiss her palms. "You should be scared though. I am so much more dangerous than you know."

She sat up beside me, pulling herself away from my body while I continued to lay on the ground. "I'm not scare of you." She stated with utter confidence. She wasn't at all. "And, I never will be, Edward."

"Oh really?" I closed my eyes as I wished, and hoped, that was true. But, I knew in my heart that it wasn't.

"Yes, really." She said in a sarcastic tone. Bella was obviously getting frustrated with this conversation. We really shouldn't have been having it right then anyway. I decided to lighten the mood, once again.

"You shouldn't have said that!" I cried as I pounced on her, making sure to put none of my weight onto her body. I began to tickle her sides as gently as I could. She screamed and kicked as she laughed loudly, trying to defend herself at the same time. Her fingertips searched for my sides and Bella found out that I was not, in any form, ticklish. I quickly grabbed her arms and pinned them above her head and began to tickle with the other. Suddenly, the laughing stopped. I quickly looked up at her eyes and I saw something: Fear. I hopped off of her, going clear across the meadow.

"I'm so, so sorry. I went too far. I didn't mean to." I said, completely ashamed of myself. I should have known better

She sat up, her large eyes searching for me "No, you just surprised me. Please come back."

"I was insensitive. I should have known better. I am a fool..." I berated myself.

Bella rose to her feet and began to walk towards me. When she came to be about three feet in front of me she stopped. "I would be dead if not for you. I am grateful for you. I am yours and you can have me in any way that you like."

"Bella... I..." I began but she cut me off with her lips. As she crushed her mouth to mine I briefly wondered if she hurt herself doing so. I placed my hands on her hips, unable to stop myself. She slowly pulled away and rested her head on my chest.

"You're not ready for this..." I whispered. "I shouldn't be touching you... It can't be good for you."

"You don't like it?" She looked up at me with hurt eyes, her full lips turned into a frown.

"I didn't say that." I breathed. "I just don't want you to regret this. I don't want you to regret me."

"When you touch me Edward, it's like you're erasing what _they_ did._" _She spoke into my bare flesh. Her warm breath heated my skin. It took everything I had to keep my mind from running into the gutter. I took a deep breath and continued with the issue at hand.

"Bella, nothing can take away what they did, even if I wish there was."

"I know... " She looked away, almost as if she was a little put off by my words. It was so frustrating not knowing what was wrong.

"I will do anything I can to help you heal. But, I want you to be ready for anything we do. I will not hurt you further. That much I can promise you" I hugged her tightly to my, burying my face in her hair.

"You could never hurt me." Bella whispered into my skin.

"Yes, I could. Without even meaning to. There is so much I could do to harm you. I couldn't live myself if I did." I mumbled into her hair.

Completely ignoring what I just said, Bella spoke."I love you."

I kissed the top of her head. "I love you, too. With all my heart."

After a long minute I examined her cheeks for a moment. There was starting to turn slightly pink from the sun. I should have thought of sunscreen for her but I had never even consider it before. I never needed it myself. I needed to get her out of the sun. "Why don't I take you home to meet my family?"

I was surprised to see her looking completely scared. After a moment she nodded her head, swallowing hard as her heart rate increased.

"What's wrong?" I demanded.

"What if they don't like me?" Bella asked, not even looking at me. I almost started to laugh but I quickly stopped myself.

"You're going into a house, in the middle of the woods, with a large family of vampires and you're afraid they won't like you.? That makes sense." I smirked.

"But, what if they really don't?" She asked again, this time looking up at me with large pleading eyes. Finally I released a chuckle.

"They will. You already know how Alice thinks of you. She adores you" I told her.

"I really like Alice. It's nice to have a female friend." She admitted.

"I know that my family will love you as much as I do." I traced my fingers over her cheek, careful of her stitches.

"I hope so..."

"Well, there's only one way to find out..." I trailed off. I grabbed her up again, swinging her onto my back once more. I ran back through the meadow and scooped up her jacket. I ran, much slower than I normally do, towards her truck. This time she kept her head up. Her arms clutched around my neck so tightly that if I were a human I would have passed out from lack of oxygen. I could hold back the laugh that escaped my lips as we blasted by the trees. I'd never really ran like this with someone before. It was a very pleasant experience. Her warm body pressed against my back, her heart sputtering against my skin. As I could feel every part of her I though, _I_ _could_ _get_ _use_ _to_ _this_.

When we arrived back to the truck I set Bella down on the ground so that she was on her bottom. I was trying to give her time to regain herself but she tried to get up too quickly. Not surprisingly she fell back down.

" Are you okay?" I asked, kneeling before her.

"I'm just... dizzy. I should have closed my eyes like last time." Bella flopped back against the cool earth, her arms above her head. "Do you do that a lot?"

"Run, you mean? Yes, every day. I love it. I usually don't go that slow though."

"That was slow?" She gasped as she tried to sit up. The attempt was unsuccessful. She put her hand over her mouth and fell back again.

I chuckled a bit at her dramatic response. "Yes, for me. But, I think I'll take it even slower next time. You look a bit green."

"I'm fine."Stubbornly, she stood up slowly, using her hands to push her up. She pulled her keys out of her pocket and moved towards the truck. She wobbled, nearly tripping over her own feet, and I caught her up in my arms before she could fall.

"I'll be driving." I told her, taking the keys away from her. I wasn't going to argue with her, even with the sour face she was making. She pouted, she jutted her bottom lip out, but slid into the truck when I opened the door for her. This _thing_ couldn't go over fifty five, I thought. I groaned to myself as I climbed into the driver's side, dreading the long drive.

It roared to life and I pushed it as hard as possible towards my home. Bella looked out the window, her arms crossed in front of her chest, still pouting. I hooked my finger around one of her belt loops and pulled her closer to me playfully. She seemed surprised, but softened almost instantly and melted into my side, her head on my shoulder. I let my arm rest on the back of her seat after I flipped on the radio to the oldie's station. There was a real lack of decent Radio in Forks. One of my favorite Beatles songs came on and I began to sing along.

"All the lonely people, where do they all come from All the lonely people where do they belong. I look at all the lonely people... I look at all the lonely people..." I sang softly. Bella pulled back to watched me with surprise.

"You have a beautiful voice." She said barely above a whisper.

If I were human I would have blushed. I wasn't use to receiving such praise from anyone besides my family. "Thank you."

"I don't know this song..." Bella waved her hand towards the radio, looking a little embarrassed.

"It's Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles. The fifties and early the early sixties had some decent music, after that, not so much. Didn't improve much until the late eighties either. I'll have to show you my music collection, if you would like anyway." I smiled at her as we pulled into the drive way. I parked in front of the beautiful white house, cutting the engine. My mother, Esme really out did herself with this home. It was by far her best work yet.

I hopped out of the truck to help Bella out of the car, but she had already stepped out. With her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide, she looked completely overwhelmed. I took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "So, are you ready to meet the family?"

**First off, I want to apologize for not posting last night. I finally got out of the hospital, and I didn't get home until rather late. You know how it is. You have to pick up your medication, and since I'm diabetic, I have to eat. And that takes a while. Oh, and thank you for all the amazing reviews! You really out did yourself. Keep it up.**

**So, I actually changed a lot with this chapter. I added a whole page and a half to this chapter. This story is going to be like 50 pages longer than the original if I keep it up. **


	10. Chapter 10

"No.. not really." Bella's hand went to her hair, trying to straighten it with her long fingers. She pulled her coat on tighter around her thin body, like she was trying to hide inside of it.

"You look great. Don't worry." I whispered into ear. She actually looked better than great. I rubbed my hand down her back, trying to reassure her.

I walked slowly to the door, giving both my family some warning and Bella some time to get her courage up. She was fidgeting beside me, pulling at the hem of her jacket. I could hear all my family's minds screaming different things, very loudly.

Alice was, of course, excited. _"They're finally here!" _Which she also said out loud to her husband.

Jasper was getting slightly annoyed with her rather bouncy behavior. _"Alice needs to calm down before she scares the poor girl. There isn't enough calm feelings in the world to keep her from jumping around this place."_

_"I'm just happy Edward is happy." _These were the basic gist of Esme and Carlisle's thoughts.

Much to my surprise Rose was calm. Emmett had apparently appeased her in some form or fashion. She still wasn't happy that I was dating a human and she didn't understand it at all. But, she didn't have any cruel thoughts towards Bella, she actually felt sorry for her. A feeling I was surprised Rosalie had. Emmett was just hoping to keep Rose happy.

I opened the door, extending my arm to allow Bella in first. She gasped softly, one of her small hands covering her mouth. I had to admit, if I'd never seen this place before I would have been shocked too. The wide open space, the crisp white of everything, the over sized stair case and, of course, the entire back of the house was glass. I wrapped a comforting arm around her waist and brought her closer to me.

"Carlisle, Esme" I said in a soft voice. I didn't even raise it for Bella's benefit. I knew they would hear me.

_"Coming!" _Esme sung in her mind. She practically danced down their stairs with Carlisle at her side. I saw my parents before Bella did, who was looking around, standing at the edge of the stairwell. Bella visibly jumped when she realized they were there.

I cleared my throat, "Bella, this is my father, Carlisle. Of course, you've met him already. And, this is my lovely mother, Esme." I smiled as I introduced them. They were amazing parents.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. You have a lovely home, Mrs. Cullen." Bella smiled politely, sticking her hand out to shake. Esme took her hand, placing the other over it.

"Thank you dear, please, call me Esme." Her mind practically sang out with joy as she patted her hand before releasing. She thought Bella was beautiful, kind, and above all else: perfect for me. "You'll have to ask Edward to give you a tour later." Esme waved her hand around. Bella's eyes followed her hand, but then suddenly stopped.

"This is beautiful. Who plays?" She walked over to the piano, _my_ piano. She gingerly ran her fingers over the black top.

"He hasn't told you? Shame on you, Edward." Carlisle smirked. _"Edward, you shouldn't hide such things about yourself."_

I finally spoke up, "I do." I walked over to the piano and sat down on the bench. I patted the seat beside me. Bella sat down, her eyes glancing over the keys. "Would you like me to play for you?" I asked.

"I should have known. You can do everything. I'd love to hear you play." She mused playfully. She slid in a bit closer to me, her head resting against my shoulder.

I began to play the song that I wrote when I first met Esme. It was beautiful with a strong spirit. Just like her.

_"Oh, Edward, you know how I love this song." _Esme ran her fingers over my shoulder, the smile visible even in her mind.

As the song ended I didn't let the silence last for very long. I quickly began to play the song I wrote just for Bella. The song began to form itself in my head when I realized I was in love with her. Her lullaby.

Her heart beat began to increase as she realized what I was playing. "That's the song you..." She whispered, her voice cracking. "That you hum to me."

"Yes, I wrote it after the first night I saw you. You were so beautiful in your sleep." I smiled at her. Her face was bright red and small tears rolling down her cheeks. A soft smile played at her lips, her eyes practically glowing with happiness.

_"We will give you some time alone, son." _Carlisle called to me in his mind before he left with Esme up to his study. I continued to play, letting the sound fill the room, barely nodding my head to acknowledge his words.

When the song ended I pulled my fingers away from the keys slowly, the last note still ringing in the air. I took her hands in mine and kissed her palms. It was then I realized we were no longer alone. I sighed to keep myself to keep from groaning.

"That was beautiful! I haven't heard you play in a few weeks." Alice danced into the room, letting her appearance be known to all. Jasper followed a few feet behind, his hands in his pockets.

"Bella, this is my brother Jasper." I stood from the bench, offering a helping hand to Bella. She took it graciously, standing to her feet. Alice came over and wrapped Bella in a loose hug, smiling brightly the whole time.

"See, Jazz, I told you she was pretty." Alice giggled, planting a kiss on Bella's cheek before dancing back to her husband.

Jasper's mind spun as he watched his wife kiss a human. He didn't know how she could stand it. Being that close without simply biting her. Bella smiled, blushing slightly at Alice's words. Her scent was sent wafting through the room as she moved, even the slightest inch. He thought she smelled amazingly delicious. I gave him a warning glare and he shrugged in apology, his amber eyes downcast.

_"She's very happy right now." _He thought before answering Alice. "You did. And, of course, like always, you're right. It's nice to meet you, Bella." He said with a slightly forced smile as he stood at the edge of the stairs.

Bella blushed brighter and turned her face into my chest. I kissed the top of her head lightly. I decided it was time to give Jasper a break from her presence. I could tell it was hard on him, and I think Alice knew it as well. "Why don't I give you a tour now, love?"

She nodded and we excused ourselves. I honestly wanted to show her only my room, though I did explain various items as we passed them as we went up the stairs. I would take her around the bottom floor later. She looked annoyed at the massive amount of stairs and I almost picked her up to carry her, but quickly decided against it.

We finally made it back to my room after about ten minutes. I opened the door for her, thinking nothing about it. Another gasp escaped her full lips. I turned to see what was the matter but she walked right past me. Bella spun in the middle of the room, her hands out. "This is amazing! The view... And, your music collection. It's... wow..." She walked up to the shelves quickly, letting her eyes roam over the CD cases.

I smiled to myself as I made myself more comfortable on my black leather couch. "It's one of my favorite things. I've been collecting it for years."

"How is it arranged?" She brought one of her fingers to lips, continuing to look. I honestly had more CDs than the music shop in Port Angeles. It would take her a while to go over everything.

"Year and then by how much I like it. It's rather complicated but when you have twenty four hours in the day to entertain yourself..." I trailed off.

Bella looked over her shoulder and smiled at me. Slowly she turned away from the music and walked towards the couch. She leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder. "You really do have a beautiful home, Edward."

I played absently with a strand of her hair for a moment, letting the silk roll between my fingers. "Beautiful..." I whispered.

Bella blushed when she realized that I was talking about her. A small smirk was playing on her lips as she turned to look at me. I tucked the hair behind her ear, leaning into whisper. "Would you dance with me?"

"I can't dance..." she muttered, quickly looking away.

"It's all in the leading." I explained as I stood, walking over to the large black stereo system. I pulled out the exact CD that I wanted, knowing where it was instantly. I pressed the play button, knowing it would take a minute or so for it to start, and walked over to Bella to offer her my hand.

She took it slowly, her eyes cautious. "If I break anything I'm blaming you." She mumbled seriously.

I chuckled, "I'll never let you fall."

Sweeping her up in my arms I pressed my body against her. I started to sway with her before the first note even rang out. When the song finally began she threw her head back in laughter. Brown-eyed girl blasted through the radio.

"You're smooth." She laughed again, her pouty lips formed into a perfect smile.

I twirled her about the room, lifting her off the ground a bit. "Thank you. I do try sometimes." I pressed my lips to the hollow of her neck. "My brown eyed girl." I whispered.

She pulled back from me some and looked into my eyes. Her heart thumped erratically in her chest.

"What's wrong?" I stopped moving, but did not release her from my grip. I looked deeply into her eyes, wishing I could figure out what was wrong. It was frustrating not knowing.

"It's not fair. You shouldn't do that to people." She blushed, her heart rate increasing even more as she leaned her forehead against my chest.

"Do what?" I asked in a soft voice, wishing to know what I did wrong.

"Dazzle people." She muttered into my chest, pressing her face harder into it.

I felt my lips twitch as I tried to keep from smiling."Do I dazzle you?"

She looked at me, a large smirk playing on her perfect features. "Oh, you know you do. Stop angling for compliments." She swatted my shoulder playfully. I laughed and kissed her forehead. I wanted to argue with her but before I could I was interrupted by something small and frustrating.

_"I want to dance!" _Alice squealed in her mind.

"We're about to have company." I whispered in Bella's ear. She looked confused for a moment but realized what was about to happen as there was a tiny knock at the door.

"Can I come in?" Alice asked politely behind the closed door. I knew if I didn't say yes she'd still come in.

"Yes."I sighed heavily as I held Bella close to me, my arms around her tiny little waist.

Alice came in. "I want to dance" She repeated, looking a bit like a child. Her eyes were pleading, her bottom lip puckered out slightly.

"Fine." I heaved. I let go of Bella and opened my arms for Alice. Alice sped from her spot and turned the stereo to an actual Radio station. Spanish music blasted through the room. Then I saw a tiny white blur grab up Bella. Alice started to tango with Bella playfully, who was having trouble keeping up as she looked and looked rather like a rag doll.

"Hey, are you in here for any other reason besides stealing my dance partner." I said with mock annoyance as I went over to my couch.

"Maybe... " Alice spun Bella once more. Bella laughed again loudly and then backed away, putting her hands up in surrender. She flopped onto the couch beside me, her heart beating loudly.

"There is a storm tonight. I was wondering if you'd like to play ball?" Alice asked as she sat down on the carpet, her legs in front of her.

I looked from my sister over to Bella. I thought it over for a moment. Though playing baseball with my family was one of my favorite hobbies, Bella wasn't ready for an outing like that and she comes first. Accidents happen and I didn't want to scare her. Alice nodded, knowing my response before I even spoke it.

"I guessed as much. Thought I'd offer though." She patted Bella's knee, popping up to her feet. "Enjoy your evening kids."

_"Have fun!" _She smiled at me over her shoulder, winking playfully.

"You, too." I called to her. She waved her hand in response, like it was a done deal.

I turned the radio to something more relaxing, turning down the volume quite a bit as well. I sat down on the opposite end of the couch from Bella, wanting to give her some space. She looked at me from underneath her thick eye lashes. She moved from her spot, shifting onto her knees and crawled towards me, arranging herself on my lap. I wrapped my arms around her lovely little waist as her arms slid around my neck.

I have no idea how long we sat there, listening to music in silence, holding each other. The sun began to sink below the horizon, the light fading from the sky and it became dark. The clouds began to roll in and a small thunderstorm sprinkled the earth with more unneeded rain. Bella fell asleep in my arms, her breathing soft and even. I couldn't think of any other way to spend my evening.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I groaned as trying to rearrange so I wouldn't wake my sleeping angel. It was of course Alice calling.

"What?" I said in a hushed tone, doing poorly at trying to hide my annoyance.

"Another family. They're close. They may come to the house. They're aren't like us. Get her home! Hurry! I'm sorry..." She said in a hurried, slightly panicked, voice. "I'll call you when I'm sure everything is okay." She hung up before I could answer. I closed the phone and picked up Bella quickly, trying still not to wake her still and ran down the stairs full speed.

I placed her in the back seat of the Volvo, shutting the doors as quietly as I could while still in a hurry. I brought the car to life and threw it forward at an amazing speed.

I didn't want to take her home, I didn't want to alert Charlie. Also, if they somehow followed then they'd instantly know where she lived. I couldn't put her in that kind of danger. I put twenty miles between myself and the house before I finally decided what I would do. I drove another five minutes and found a small side road that I was looking for. Shutting everything off once I reached the end, I took in a deep breath, trying to relax. I turned to observe Bella, who was still out cold.

I sighed, and took in another deep breath. I wouldn't be able to cope if something happen to her. I decided to sit in the back with her until I was sure she was say so I crawled into the back seat and lifted Bella so that her head was in my lap. She stirred then, looking up at me with sleep heavy eyes. Her face creased in confusion.

"I needed to get you away. Do you trust me when I say I'm only protecting you?"I asked softly as I stroked her silky brown hair.

She nodded, slowly sitting up without saying a single word. She rested her hand on my shoulder as her lips began to kiss my neck lightly.

I pushed her back gently. "Bella, I didn't take you out here to make out with you..." I know I sounded a bit harsh when I said it, even if I didn't mean it like that. I enjoyed her kisses, probably more than I really should. She recoiled slightly, scooting away from me, her face looking completely broken.

"You don't want me..." She stuttered breathlessly.

"Bella! I never said that." I sighed.

"I don't blame you. I'm damaged now. Who would want me? Especially you" She stated as she began to cry.

I was floored by those words. It was something I didn't expect her to say, ever. This was a moment I wish I could hear her like everyone else. I obviously didn't know what was going on in that beautiful head of hers and it was hurting her. She was in more pain that she ever let on. I took her hands in mine. "You are not damaged, Bella. You are hurt. And, I do want you, more than you'll ever know."

"Then kiss me!" She cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Prove it."

I growled, feeling completely frustrated before I went for her lips, kissing them furiously. I knotted my fingers in her hair, bringing her face as close to mine as possible. I pulled away from her as quickly as I went for her. "Bella. I love you. I don't know why you're doing this... It's not healthy." I cursed myself for kissing her. It was the worst idea possible. She was trying to make herself feel loved, I knew this but I didn't wish to tell her that. I'm not sure if she knew what she was doing and I didn't want to hurt her further.

She brought her knees to her chest and began to cry in earnest. I had enough of her tears. I've always been a selfish person, getting whatever I wanted when I wanted it and at that moment I wanted her tears to stop no matter what. I knew what would stop them, even if it wasn't a good idea. I pulled her into my lap and began to kiss her neck, my hand holding it still as I covered her flesh with cool open mouth kisses. . Her tears slowed with every kiss, soft moans escaping her lips. It was so unhealthy but I wanted more. More of her, more of this. I kissed her ear, bringing it between my lips for a moment then I let my lips travel from her jaw to her lips. They were eager and soft. Her hands slid down my chest and under my shirt slightly, sending pleasant chills down my spine.

I had never been more thankful for a phone call in all my life. I knew I had gone too far. Guilt rushed over me as I watched her cheeks flush with pleasure. I pulled the phone from my pocket, clearing my throat. I opened it, not saying anything.

"They're gone now. They'll be out of the state within the hour. You can bring Bella back now." Alice stated in a harsh rush then shut the phone before I could say anything to her. My sister was disappointed in my actions. I didn't blame her at all. I was ashamed of them, and myself, too.

When we got back to the house Alice swept Bella way from me for a "makeover" so Charlie would be convinced that they did spend the day together. She even brought her new clothing. I knew she just wanted to get Bella away from me so I wouldn't do anything else stupid.

I stomped up to my room and laid on my couch, berating myself. _Idiot Idiot Idiot Idiot _repeated in my head. I wasn't helping her. It was selfish to the extreme. Though I knew she enjoyed it as well, it was completely unhealthy and would do no good. I rubbed my hand roughly over my face, trying to think.

"Stopping be such a girl, Edward." Rosalie stood in door way, her mind mainly slightly, with a perfectly manicured hand on her hip.

"Good evening to you too, Rose." I mumbled sarcastically. She was the last person I wanted to see right now.

"Don't beat yourself up." She said as walked towards me.

"I suppose Alice told you then." I muttered, looking only at the ceiling. .

"Of course she did. Edward, Bella just wants to feel love. You were just giving her that. Don't hate yourself for enjoying it too. I would be more worried if you didn't enjoy it."

"I took advantage of her. She's in pain." I hissed.

"She's in pain and you make her feel better. Better about herself, better about men, better about life..." Rosalie's voice was gentle and kind. Something that seemed completely alien. I shook my head but she put her hand up to stop me. "No, listen. Until I found Emmett I hated all men. You remember that. I was damaged, and thought I always would be. Emmett made me feel whole. You are her Emmett. I'm not saying it'll be easy but she'll heal. And, she'll be glad that she had someone like you holding her and kissing her, telling her that it was okay."

"Thank you," was all I could manage to say. Rose nodded, obviously proud of herself, and left the room. Maybe she was right about this. I still couldn't quite get my mind around that though.

Bella came in a moment after Rose left, wearing the most beautiful silk blue pajamas pants and matching camisole. She was breath taking, even with her bruised flesh. It fit her perfectly, and more than in one way.

"I want to sleep in your arms." She whispered, looking embarrassed at her small request. I knew she was still a little upset about earlier, and I would do nothing further to upset her tonight. I opened my arms to her and she ran to the couch, falling on top of me after tripping on nothing but her own feet.

I securely wrapped my arms around her waist, letting her settle her weight completely against me. "I told you will always be there to catch you when you fall. Always."

**Sorry I'm late again guys. I'm still trying to catch up from the hospital. It's so hard sometimes. I think what I'm going to do, for now, is update this every other day. Once things settle down it'll go back to once a day. That still isn't bad.**

**I added two pages of detail to this chapter! It was changed a bunch. I like the changes, and I hope you do too.**


	11. Chapter 11

Much to my surprise Sunday past without a single incident. Bella didn't even trip, for once. With the exception of the embarrassment she suffered when Esme brought her breakfast in 'bed' anyway. She hid her face in my chest, blushing a shade that could only be described as purple. She'd never been caught in the arms of a boy before, especially by their mother. Esme politely ignored it as she served her pancakes, but her mind was practically screaming with joy. She had never seen me so happy before.

After a boring, yet perfect day,I rode behind Bella's truck in my car. Charlie gave me a surprised look, turning to see what I was doing, when I helped her carry up several bags of clothes, makeup, and shoes up the stairs. He raised an eyebrow and I knew what he was about to ask, before it even completely formed in his mind. I shrugged in response.

"Alice goes over board" is all I could say. Charlie nodded and smiled, enjoying the fact that she now had a female friend in town that she could trust. He hoped that she could get her to come out of her shell some more. He turned back around, going back to some football game.

Alice showed Bella how to cover up the mostly faded black eye with makeup before we left for the house . Bella didn't want to bother, since everyone knew already anyway, but Alice is far more stubborn and as she says 'we've got all the time in the world.'

Bella's night was a peaceful one, barely speaking in her sleep. Her tiny hands clutched to my shirt as she dreamed, a small smile playing at her perfect lips. I wondered how I spent my nights before Bella. Before I started sneaking around like a human teenager, I thought with a chuckle. Not that I minded at all. I adored watching her sleep.

Right before the sun rose I ran home to shower and dress. I moved as quickly as possible, not wanting to miss a single second with Bella. As soon as her father was out of sight in the cruiser I parked in the driveway. Bella stepped out of the house wearing some of her new clothing that my sister bought for her. Jeans and a long sleeved navy blue sweater, which fit her perfectly. Her hair was pulled back in a loose pony tail at the base of her neck. I had to admit with the make up the black eye was barely visible now. Her full, slightly red, lips turned up in a smile when she saw me, step out of the car to greet her.

"May I escort you to school, Ms. Swan?" I asked rather formerly, smiling at my beautiful girlfriend as I leaned against the Volvo.

"I would love that." She said happily as she moved closer to me. I noticed that her aroma had changed more, even since the little time I'd been away from her. Perhaps it was perfume, not that Bella seem to wear it normally. Maybe Alice bought it for her. I didn't know for sure what it was or if that was even it, but it was curious. So many things can change your natural scent. It would be something to ponder later. I opened the passenger door for her and then slid in myself.

"Are you going to be okay today?" I peered at her through the corner of my eye as I backed out of the drive way. If for any reason I didn't believe she was well I would take her to see Carlisle.

"I think so. I've been feeling a lot better. Besides, we have time between classes, lunch and biology together." She said it so brightly that I didn't think it was an act, or at least I hoped so. She had seemed stronger in the past few days.

When we arrived at school I parked beside my sister's car. Ignoring the urge to run one of them over, I carefully slid into the parking space. Climbing out of the car, I pushed past the drooling teenagers to help Bella out of the car. They didn't even seem to notice us. I took Bella's bag from her grip and slung it over my shoulder. Intertwining my fingers with hers, I led her towards our classes.

I heard her nasty little thoughts before she showed her face. _"Oh, my god. She's holding hands with Edward Cullen. Yeah... sure, she was raped. Whatever. She probably asked for it."_ Jessica's tiny brain was a harsh place. A soft growl grew in my throat, but I shallowed it back. I didn't want to worry Bella. I wrapped a protective arm around her waist, pulling her close to my body.

"Hey, Bella! How are you doing? I'm so sorry! I heard what happened. I wanted to come see you, but I didn't know if you'd be up for it. When we couldn't find you we called your dad and he said that you were in the hospital. Then I saw the paper and-" She stuttered on and on, just happy to be in the middle of the gossip. I could feel Bella stiffen beside me, her body becoming completely rigid as her heart rate increased.

"Your concern is very... _touching,_ Jessica. But, I think it's time for us to get to class." I said in the most polite way possible. She stared at me, her mouth gaping open for a long moment before snapping it shut with a little pop.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll talk to you later Bella." She gave Bella a quick hug before strolling off toward her first period. _"Why is he with her? I'm so much better looking then her. Especially now..."_

It took all the self control I possessed not to run up behind her and snatch her tiny head from her shoulders. Idiotic, tiny minded, people like her were the reason school was so hard for so many teenagers. She was the worst kind of bully. The kind that would pretend to be your friend and then talk about you behind your back, spreading rumors.

Bella's heart rate was still high as I pulled Bella along to her first class. I could tell she was rethinking her choice about coming to class today. Jessica had spooked her. Bella's light skin was a soft shade of rose pink and she was chewed on her bottom lip. I stopped in front of the classroom, wrapping my arms tightly around her waist. "If you need a thing, anything at all, say the word and I'll be there in less than a second. Okay?" She looked into deep into my eyes for a long moment before finally nodding her head. I placed one of my hands on her cheek, lightly kissing the other goodbye.

During my classes I listened to every single thought around Bella. They were all much the same. Humans were very boring in that way. _"Wow, she looks upset. I wonder what really happened. Is she really with Cullen?" _were the common thoughts. They became very repetitive very quickly but I milled through it, too worried that something would happen if I didn't. If it weren't so late in the year I would have tried to switch all of my classes to match Bella's but I knew it was impossible.

I was beyond happy to hear that Angela's thoughts were different from the others. The second that Angela saw Bella, she wrapped her arms tightly around her, crying silently. She felt so guilty for what happened. I felt sorry for her and wondered if I could ask Jasper later to make her more relaxed. She didn't deserve to be upset. _"I'm so sorry Bella," _her mind chanted. "_We shouldn't have left you alone. I'm so sorry. Poor Bella." _She was a true friend to Bella, and I was glad that there was at least one sincere person in Forks.

Lunch couldn't have come fast enough for me. It felt like time crept at a snail's pace simply to tease me. I waited by Bella's classroom for her to emerge. As soon as she was out of the room I pulled her into a hug, pressing my face into her hair. She smiled against my chest, her arms draping around my hips.

"I needed that," she muttered, her warm breath spreading over my chest. I nodded in agreement, and slowly, sadly, letting go of her and started to tow her towards the lunch room. Once there I plied food onto a tray for the both of us. I picked out a little bit of everything because I still completely wasn't sure of Bella's taste.

I paid, then led her over to an empty table. Once arranged I asked, "how are you doing so far?"

"I feel like a freak." She said honestly as she nibbled on one of those greasy fries. "No one has said anything, but I know everyone knows. It's so frustrating. They just stare. I wish they'd just stop."

"They will soon. They will find someone else to gossip about and they'll forget all about you, and us for that matter." I comforted her, squeezing it gently.

She ate more than I expected, which was a good thing. I was glad to see her eating so much lately. Though I think she's beautiful the way she is, it's unhealthy for her to be too thin.

Alice and Jasper came to say hello. My brother hung back, but Alice wrapped her arms around her shoulders. She joked with her a couple minutes, making Bella relax a little bit, before heading out to her next class.

Biology was going to be a difficult time for me. Being so close to my love and not being able to hold her would be hard. I wondered if I'd actually be able to do it. Not touch her for a single second when she was less than a foot away. I didn't want to test the theory.

Mr. Banner brought in the too small television into the classroom. He didn't feel like really teaching today, frustrated with his unintelligent arrogant students. For once, I actually had something work out in my favor. I was very relieved when the lights turned off. The screen gave off a rather eerie glow before starting an extremely slow moving movie on plant cell growth. I silently scooted closer to Bella.

Bella draped one arm across the top of the large desk with her head was resting on it. The other arm dangled at her side, hanging limply. I took her free hand into mine, mirroring her position. Bella turned her face towards mine. She smiled brightly when I winked at her.

If I hadn't already known all of these things before I watched this film I wouldn't have learned anything from the movie. I was far too busy studying her lovely skin, her silky hair, her face in the soft glow from the television.

Bella stretched her long arms in front of her when the lights flicked on, popping her back quietly. She sighed, looking at the clock. She seemed a little put off by something and it took me a moment to realize why. Her next class was least favorite, to say the very least: P.E.

Shuffling her feet towards the large gym, leaning into my side. One of her arms was weaved with mine, her head against my shoulder. "You know," she began, "I've been excused from gym for a while. I don't know why we don't just go home right now." Bella wrinkled her nose, showing her disgust.

I ran my fingers through her hair, smiling at her. "Well, think of it this way. Only one more hour..."

Our days past like this for a while. The same routine every day. Like I said they would, the student population stopped staring at Bella and myself. Someone else's drama took center stage and everyone forgot all about us.

Alice and Jasper had begun to sit with us after a while, along with Angela and Ben. I felt sorry for the poor humans that felt uncomfortable around us. Neither was even remotely thought anything mean but we simply made them nervous. Not that I blamed them, we were suppose to. It was only natural. Bella was the only person I ever met that seem to be attracted to it.

I spent every night with her. I only hunted when the hunger started to prove too much and I only hunted close to Bella's home. The deer population was dropping dramatically, and they weren't very filling.

Bella started to go to therapy every Tuesday and Thursday after school. She dreaded it because she always cried, but it seemed to be working. She was becoming much calmer when I was away from her. Now, she didn't instantly begin to cry in her sleep when I left her side. She was starting to adjust, and for that I was grateful.

Two weeks had passed and what I had finally been dreading was about to happen. I knew it would happen sooner or later. Sunny days. Two of them together towards the end of the week. Bella was becoming calmer and I needed a real hunt. I didn't want to do it. I wasn't comfortable with it. But, I needed to at least tell her that I wouldn't be at school. Her reaction was one I actually expected. She acted so strong, but I still worried.

"Oh, that's okay... Why don't you go have a good time? I know you've been frustrated with hanging around here." She said as she worked on her homework, not even looking up from the paper.

"Well, I was considering going hunting with the family. But I decided against it. I don't think it's a good idea." I sighed, feeling guilty for even considering it.

Bella lifted her head finally from her worksheet, her eyes thoughtful. "Edward, I don't want to hold you captive."

"You're not, Bella. I just don't think it's prudent at this moment to leave." I slid the paper towards me, studying it. Though her handwriting was horrid, all of her answers were correct.

"You're my prisoner it seems like. Please go have fun with your family. You hardly get to see them anymore." Her fingers slid over to mine, her eyes gazing intensely into mine. She once had accused me for dazzling her, but she could do the same. I shook my head, coming back to my senses.

"I don't want to abandon you." I said softly. I looked away from her, feeling shame for an act I hadn't even committed and wouldn't.

"You're not." She leaned closer into me, lowering her voice. "I can't have all of you if you can't be yourself. If you can't do the things you like, the things that make you... _you_. Do you understand?"

I sighed and nodded. "You're going to use therapy against me from now on, aren't you?"

She smiled, ignoring my last comment. "I'll miss you when you're gone, but I think you need to go out, without me."

"Bella..." I began to protested but she stopped me with a raised hand.

"Go," She leaned forward across the table top and pressed her lips to mine lightly. We slipped into an easy kiss, soft and slow. My fingers traced along her cheeks, holding it close to me for as long. Bella sighed when she pulled away, a little sad look on her face.

"We still have tonight and tomorrow, at least. I promise I'll be less than an hour away. If you need anything, I mean anything at all, you call me. And, I will have my phone on me at all times." I brushed my fingers through her silky brown hair. I didn't want to leave her but I knew she was right. And, I knew she would argue with me until I did go.

The morning before I left I woke Bella up to say goodbye. She made me promise that I would. I decided to do so in my own special way. I began first with her neck, trailing cool kisses all the way down to her collar bone. My hands ran up her sides, kissing the nape of her neck. She stirred slowly, her eyes fluttering open. I dragged my fingers over the soft flesh of her exposed midriff. She hummed in pleasure, a smile spreading over her face.

"Good morning, handsome. Can I have a wake up call like that every day?" She smiled at me playfully. She pulled at my shirt, positioning me so that I was hovering over her, my arms to either side of her. "This is better." She ran her fingers through my hair, tugging gently at the roots. It sent pleasurable chills down my spine, I closed my eyes, trying not to shutter.

"You should stop that." I growled at her. Of course, she ignored my comments. Bella dragged her nails down the back of my neck. "Bella, if you want me to go, you better stop."

"What if I don't want you to go?" She said with a smile spread across her luscious lips. She lifted up on her elbows, kissing my chin and then my neck.

"I will take you from your bed, like a bandit in the night and keep you forever in my room, held tight in my arms." I leaned my lips to her ear, whispering softly. She gave me the reaction I wanted, shivering slightly, her heart rate increasing.

She hitched her leg around my hip and beckoned me closer, curling her finger at me. I allowed myself to be pulled closer. We kissed for several long minutes, only pausing briefly go let her breathe. I rolled over beside her, pulling her on top of me. "I want to stay." I whispered. I realized that I sounded like a sullen child, but I didn't care.

She kissed my chest through my shirt, playing mindlessly with one of it's buttons. Bella rested her chin on my shoulder, looking up at me. "Go. Have fun. I think I'll be alright."

_"Edward Anthony Cullen if you're not out of that house in two minutes I'm coming up there to __get you." _Rose screamed at me in her head. She was outside in the Jeep with Emmett, Alice and Jasper. I looked down at Bella who was smiling sweetly, still playing with the button.

I kissed her once more, letting my lips linger for a few seconds. I got up and covered her with the blanket. "Get some more sleep. I love you and I want you to have a wonderful day at school."

"I'll see you Saturday?" She asked, settling onto her back.

"Very, very early Saturday. If I can handle it that long." I told her honestly, dragging my fingers over her arm.

"Handle what?" Her eyes were beginning to droop.

"Being away from you." I answered, smiling down at her.

She smiled before whispering, "Edward Cullen, I love you so much." With that she fell into a deep sleep.

I kissed her lightly on the forehead and dashed out the window. I'm sure I looked like white streak as I ran to the car. I had already spent more time than I meant to inside. I knew that my siblings were more than ready to leave, and I was half surprised that they didn't leave without me.

"Gee, Eddie. You two are so sweet! Makes me want to cry." Emmett laughed as we pulled away, pushing the jeep at an amazing speed.

"Can it. And, don't call me Eddie." I muttered, looking sullenly out the window. Rose slapped him on the back of the head for me.

"I thought it was nice." Rose stated shortly, her chin lifted in the air.

"Thanks," I answered, still looking out at the passing trees. It wasn't really something for anyone else to hear but it was nice to hear Rosalie starting to warm up to Bella.

"Alice, will she be okay?" I asked her for probably the thousand time in forty-eight hours. I was probably getting on her last nerve, but she was taking it pretty well. She was Bella's friend as well, and was worried about her.

_"I don't see anything happening to her, but I can't promise anything either. You know that." _Alice answered truthfully, giving me a have smile.

"Will you keep an eye out for her?" I asked, my eyes pleading with her. I'm sure she could see how worried I was.

"Of course, I will. I always do." Alice said aloud but then added. _"Things will work out in the end."_

I sighed to myself, watching the blending of the green scenery. "I hope you're right."

**This isn't one of my favorite chapters. It's very transitional. It's needed to speed up time and get to the drama that is needed, but still. I added a lot more detail to it, a page and a half. As of chapter 10 there is a 11,571 difference from the original. That is like adding four or so chapters to it. I don't know about you but that's an amazing difference. **


	12. Chapter 12

That Thursday was beyond hard for me. I tried to hunt for the first time in a very long time. A real hunt with a real predator or rather as a real predator. It was hard to consider deer or rabbits real prey. It was like comparing fast food to a seven course meal, or I would at least thing so. The hours passed slowly and my heart really wasn't in it. I think I annoyed my family with my poor attitude, but I didn't really care. I was honestly depressed. I hated being away from her.

At eight o'clock that night I decided I would call Bella, just to ease my mind. If she didn't answer then I would have left to go find her. I knew I was being over protective but I didn't care. The phone picked up on the second ring and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Hello" She said softly, her voice a little tired. I didn't think that she'd be asleep yet, but I knew she had a long day. I wouldn't keep her for long.

"Bella..." I breathed her name, just happy to say it again. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh! Hi... " I could practically see her smile through the phone, her tone brightening considerably. "I'm... _alright_. How is your hunting going?"

"I'd rather be with you." I told her honestly. "How was therapy today?"

"It was fine. Dr. Grace thinks I'm handling things well. She thinks you are a good influence on me. But, she worries that I'm depending on you too much." She said, the annoyance clear in her voice. It was also clear that she didn't agree with that. I wasn't sure what I thought.

"Am I a good influence on you?" I asked, teasing.

"Oh, I think so." her voice was light but then it suddenly quivered. "I miss you."

"Do you want me to come home?" I asked immediately concerned. I felt as if my chest was about to burst with the worry that had been building up all day.

"No," She said a little louder than she should have. She cleared her throat and started again."No, I'm okay, Edward. I just like having you around. It seems like you've always been here. What did I do before I met you?" Her voice was light again but I wasn't fooled. I frowned and sighed heavily.

"I'll come home right now."

"Stop it right this second, Edward Cullen. Go do... vampy things." She interrupted me before I could go any further with my worries. "I love you. Have a good night, okay?"

I laughed, running my hand over my face and hair. "Fine, if you insists. Sleep well, my love." After she hung up I snapped the phone shut. I wasn't sure if I did want to stay or not. I had eaten, and if it was better for Bella, it was for the best.

I walked over to the spot where Alice was resting against a tree. I needed to get her opinion on what to do. She brought her hand up quickly, rolling her eyes. "She's fine. Don't ask!"

"Oh, okay. Thanks." I slid down beside her, the bark scratching my back.

"Edward, go take a run or something, you'll feel better. Trust me." Alice patted my knee in a very sibling like way. I nodded my head, not really wanted to take the time to argue with her and stood up. I looked up at the silver moon in the dark velvet black sky. I took some comfort that Bella was underneath the same sky. But, not much. The idea of running back to Bella's house was a very strong urge, but it probably wasn't a good idea. Bella did need her time alone.

My mind began to cleared as I ran. The wind rushed around my body, blowing away my worry. Bella was doing better than I thought she would have. I wasn't sure how to react to that, honestly. I was happy that was getting better but I loved the feeling of being needed and wanted. Though I had the love of my family, it was completely different. And, then I felt selfish for that. I was so confused, but I pumped my legs harder and let the air wash away my thoughts. I caught the smell of a puma about a mile away. I smiled to myself, pushing myself harder than I had in a month. I was ready to eat now.

After chasing the stubborn animal half the night I returned to my family. The sun was beginning to rise in the east, lighting the earth on fire with it's brilliant light. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky. Rose and Emmett were still deep in the woods, hunting different things, along with other things but Jasper and Alice were around a camp fire. The fire was small and was simply for effect, but it was still comforting in it's own way.

"You had a good time last night." Jasper stated, happily, not asked. I simply nodded at him since he already knew the answer.

"You seem much less stressed than before." He smiled slightly, enjoying the reprieve from my annoying mood swings from the night before. He always suffered the most with those.

"I am. It's been too long since we've done this." I waved my hand around, toward the campfire and the couple. They both nodded in agreement.

"I agree completely. We need family time every now and again. We should take Bella camping next time." Alice smiled to herself just imaging the whole scene in her head. It wasn't a version but a bad idea of a day dream.

"I can't see Bella camping... at all." I said honestly, trying to keep from smiling at the idea. She was by no means girly but she was not the out doors type either. Actually, she seemed to have a distaste for nature.

"I think she'd be just..." Alice stopped mid sentence. Her honey colored eyes glazed over at the vision swirled in her mind.

Bella was wearing a hospital gown. She was screaming loudly over and over again. Her blunt nails dug at her tender pink flesh, causing her arms to bleed rivers of blood. Tears streamed down her blotchy face. The room she locked inside was dim and only had a small bed and a single chair, most likely to keep from hurting herself. At first she was walking around, trying to get out but then it showed her tied to the bed, sedated.

I nearly screamed as I popped up from my spot on the ground. I couldn't move fast enough. It was about an hour run from here to my home then a couple minute drive to the hospital. I knew I couldn't just run into the hospital, in the middle of the day, shining like a diamond. I could see the darkness outside the hospital window in the vision. I had time, at least I hoped so. I would have taken the jeep but I couldn't leave my family like that. I could run faster than Emmett could drive anyway. They would have understood but I still couldn't.

The sun glinted off my flesh as I ran through the forest, my skin soaking in the heat. My heart was aching. I hated the scene painted in Alice's mind. I had to make sure that it did not happen, but I wasn't sure how. Especially in the middle of the day.

When I finally arrived at my house I ran up to my room and grabbed a hooded jacket. I threw that over my head, along with some sunglasses and a pair of black gloves that I had handy for sunny days. If I had time to think about it, I'm sure I would of thought I looked like a bank robber.

It was just past nine o'clock when I arrived at the school. Bella should be here right now. I could listen for the thoughts around her to make sure she was alright. I angled my car as close to the building as I could. I wasn't sure where else to start.

_"Man, Bella looks antsy." _Mike Newton was simple in his thoughts. Though in all honesty he was simple all the time. Most teenage boys were.

I heard a small bit of a conversation, and realized what was about to happen. That's when I heard her screaming, things toppling over and crashing to the floor in the class room. I could see the scene in several students minds. Mike had tried to grab Bella's arm, trying to calm her down. I wasn't exactly sure what made her so upset in the first place though. She screamed loudly, recoiling from his touch warm touch. A desk toppled over, Bella falling over as well. Mike tried to help her up but she scooted away from his, her screams becoming louder with each passing second. She pressed herself into a corner of the room and began to rock back and forth.

I got out of my car quickly and took a couple steps towards the building. The sun glinted off my face and I could see the light reflected on the asphalt. I stopped, realizing that I was about to do.

If I ran into the classroom now I would expose myself and my family. I would also expose Bella, putting her in danger. And, if I simply ran into a class room they would think I was a stalker or an abductor and would keep me from see her, at least for a time. And, that's if they didn't notice the glittering skin.

I heard the teacher's frantic thoughts as he called 911. I sighed, feeling like a complete coward. Was I doing this for me or for her. Who was I protecting? Either way, there was nothing I could do to protect her.

I didn't have too much time to wallow in my self pity before the emergency vehicle arrived to take Bella to the hospital. Through different minds I saw the whole scene: Bella was still rocking back and forth in the corner. She thrashed wildly against the young men's touches who were trying to help her, her eyes completely glazed over. I watched helplessly as they shot full of sedatives. Her body slumped to the ground in just a couple of seconds.

I swore aloud, cursing myself for being such an idiot. "I should have never left in the first damn place." I nearly screamed, slamming my fists against the steering wheel. I watched as they rolled Bella to the ambulance. I put the Volvo in drive and followed behind closely. I went to the parking garage after I made sure that had Bella safely, finding a dark spot deep inside.

I would go in as soon it was night fall. That's all I knew what to do, for now. The halls of the hospital were lined with large uncovered windows, so any time before that would, once again, put myself and most importantly, Bella, at risk. It would have been worse than at the school. I prayed for rain so I could go sooner. Though I knew it wouldn't happen until well in the morning tomorrow.

The minds of the hospital workers were blur in my head. I couldn't pick up a single voice to save my life. They jumbled together, causing my head to pound. It was impossible to concentrate, no matter how hard I tried. So I sat, in silence in the dark car wishing I could rip Mike Newton into tiny pieces. I knew honestly it wasn't his fault, he simply touched her. Though he still shouldn't have. It was just easier to blame someone else.

Time crawled at an agonizing pace. It was getting later in the year so of course the days were getting longer. I cursed myself for being what I was. I was truly cursed. It kept me from fully helping her right now. Bella deserved better. Someone who could comfort and hold at all times of the day, no matter the weather.

Much to my surprise, none of my family bothered me. They knew it was best to leave me alone. I didn't even receive a phone call. I was probably a dangerous person to frustrate right now.

As the sun started to sink past the horizon I dashed from the car to the hospital entrance. I couldn't take the risk of being seen so I kept my coverings on. I sneaked along the edges of the hall way as fast as I could without bringing much notice to myself. I followed Bella's flora scent to the right floor. I could pick it out anywhere now. It was a scent that I lived for.

I came to a waiting area where Charlie sat. He stood up quickly, looking at me with furious eyes. He'd been crying, his face puffy and red. His heart was beating furiously in his chest.

"Edward! You can't go in there... I need to talk to you first..." He yelled behind me. I ignored him completely. The voices in my head were screaming and my skull ached. I pushed my way into Bella's room. No one could stop me from going in right now.

There Bella sat in the corner in the room on the floor, tears flowing down her face in tiny rivers. Her arms were covered in self made scratches. She was wearing only in a hospital gown. She was shaking with the heavy sobs that were leaving her body. Her arms were clutched around her stomach.

And, that's when I heard it. The noise that would completely changed my life. Two very different heart beats. One very loud in my ears, Bella's, of course. It thumped wildly in her chest as she cried. Then the other, very soft but extremely quick. I knew instantly what it was.

Bella's eye shot open when I came through the door. They were frantic, but began to soften when she realized who it was. I dropped to my knees in front of her. I took her hands from around her belly and held them in my own. The other heart beat became louder, confirming my thoughts.

"I'm so sorry. I never should have left. I knew better. Bella, please forgive me." I broke out in dry sobs, lowering my head.

She just shook her head, not saying a word, and wrapped her arms around my neck. I pulled her onto her lap and began to rock her back and forth, comforting us both. I didn't even realize that Charlie was behind us. I didn't really care, I just needed to hold her.

"Edward, I need to talk to you. Outside, now." Charlie commanded from behind us. He was obviously fuming. It didn't matter though. My grip on her tightened.

"No!" Bella shrieked at him. Her arms clutched around my neck tighter, obviously feeling the same way as me. Neither of us would let go, not now, or for a long time to come.

"If you have anything you need to say to me just go ahead and say it. I'm not leaving Bella alone for another second." I didn't even look at him as I spoke. I buried my face in her neck, breathing in her scent. The change in her scent made so much more since now. I don't know why it didn't dawn on me sooner.

"Edward. Outside." Charlie repeated through gritted teeth.

"I'm not leaving her alone!" I yelled at him, practically growling. He wasn't use to being spoken to like that. He stepped back, his face purple with raging anger. Bella pressed herself closer to me, taking in deep breathes.

"Bella's pregnant!" He roared at me.

I didn't even bother to look at him. I didn't want to. The only one I wanted to see was Bella."I know..." I whispered. "I'm so sorry." I told her, not him.

"What have you done to my little girl?" He demanded. Charlie was ready to kill.

Bella's stiffened in my arms at his heated words. She shot up like a bullet and within a second she was right in her father's face. "Don't you dare put this on him! He's been a perfect gentlemen to me! If you want to blame someone why don't you blame those four dead bastards that put their nasty sweaty hands all over me. Don't you ever talk to Edward that way again or I swear to God, Charlie, I will leave and never come back."

"Bella..." he sighed her name. He was in complete shock, his mind blank. His eyes flashed from her to me. Charlie wasn't sure what to do at this point.

"Get out of my room, Charlie." Bella hissed as she pointed to the door.

He turned reluctantly and went into the waiting room. Bella remained in the same spot, rooted to the floor. Her entire body was quivering with heated emotions. I saw her knees begin to wobble and I hopped up from my spot, catching her before she could hit the ground. I carefully carried her to the bed, pulling the covers over her to make sure she was warm enough.

"Edward..." she breathed my name. She smiled slightly, dragging her fingers over my right hand. Her touch was far more comforting than anything else in the world. I wanted to grab her up and never let go again.

I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry. For this. For everything."

"It's not your fault. I told you to go." Her eyes were beginning to dry as she ran the back of her hand across her hot skin.

"I don't know what to do..." I whispered, pinching the bridge of my nose with my fingers. I closed my eyes, trying to think but nothing came. I hated not knowing the answers. I didn't even know the question as of yet. I suppose it was 'what to do next' but that didn't seem right somehow.

_"Poor girl..." _I heard the doctor think before she opened the door. Bella's therapist came in, clutching some pamphlets in her tiny aged hands.

"Good evening, Edward. If you don't mind I'd like to speak to Bella alone." She stated, looking me over. She knew that I wasn't the father, but she still didn't think this was a good time for me to be around.

"He's not leaving." Bella said in a firm voice, her lips set in a hard line. It was obvious that nothing was going to change her mind.

The doctor looked from me to Bella then sighed before nodding her head. Dr. Grace knew a lost cause when she saw one. She pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed. "I've spoken to some of the doctors. I want to tell you what we know and what some of your options are. You are about five weeks along, not very far in the pregnancy. You still have a lot of options at this point. We are assuming that this occurred from the sexual assault, correct?" She looked at me as she asked this.

Bella cringed at the words 'sexual assault' but nodded slowly. I held her hand, trying to be supportive. I wanted to do more but I wasn't sure what I could do.

"Although I do not agree with abortions, I believe in cases like these they are a valid option. Also, there is adoption. Of course, you can always keep the child but there are many issues that come with that. Just like any of the other option. We need to fully discuss everything and give you all the facts so you can make an informed choice. " She sat several papers out in front of the Bella.

Bella's eyes never even glanced at the glossy papers. "I will not have an abortion." Just like before, her voice was firm. I could tell that she had already set her mind on that. Nothing would change it now.

"We need to discuss everything before you make up your mind." Dr. Grace repeated.

"I'd like some time alone with Edward, please." Bella laid back against the bed, closing her eyes. She looked exhausted. Not that I blamed her at all. It had been a very rough day on her and the sedatives they had used on her didn't help.

"That's fine. I'm going to speak to your father and I'll be back." She went to pat Bella's knee but decided against it. Bella had allowed the doctor to touch her in small ways in the past, like shaking hands, but she has taken steps backwards and it was unwise to upset her right now.

"She thinks that abortion is the best thing for you." I said, listening to the Dr's thoughts as she walked out the room. She was going to tell Charlie this. I wasn't sure how he'd take that information either. I don't think it was in his believe system.

"I won't do it." She confirmed.

"Why not?" I question. It wasn't like I agreed with abortions most of the time. But, in this case it would have made sense. This child would hurt her more than help her. Surely she could see that.

"You're not a killer and neither am I!" Her brown eyes were glistening with her strong resolve.

"That's not true. You saw what I did." I whispered, bringing my face closer to hers to make sure that no one could hear me. I doubted anyone could, but I wanted to make sure.

"You saved me. They deserved to die, Edward. This..._thing_... didn't do anything to me. It did not ask for this life. It's not my place to take it away from it before it even has a chance." She rubbed her hands over her stomach as she spoke. She was right, in a way. But, I was still pretty sure it was unhealthy.

"Then adoption?" I asked, raking my fingers through my hair. I'm sure it was a mess after all the times I've tugged at it today. Though, it was the last thing on my mind.

She shrugged her shoulders. She picked all the papers and placed them in a pile, putting them to the side. "I don't know what to do yet, but I have time."

"We'll figure it out together." I assured her as I leaned in to kiss her cheek lightly.

**Okay, for those of you who haven't read this story before, Hold on. Don't freak out yet. For those who have read it, like I told you before I'm going to be fixing some major gaps in the story. I don't want there to be room for complaint about her pregnancy. You'll understand in the next chapter.**

**If there are a ton of mistakes I'm sorry. Guess what? I've got a cold. For anyone who hasn't been pregnant before, here's a little factoid: pregnant women get sick, a lot. Colds, flu, infections... you name it, we get it ten times worse. I blame my mother. She's been sick for days. My husband is sick as well. But, on a good note, I went to the doctor today and he said I was doing well. It helps that my doctor is hot hehe makes it a lot easier to go. **

**This is a really important chapter. Changes the whole thing. Loads of drama. I think this turned out well. I'll go back later and check for mistakes. **


	13. Chapter 13

After the Doctor returned to speak to Bella she gave her a mild sedative to help her sleep. Charlie never came back into the room opting to stay in the waiting area instead. Carlisle sneaked into the room around two in the morning when he was sure Charlie and Bella were asleep. He didn't want to wake her up.

_"How is she, Edward?"_

Anger began to well up in me. "How do you think she is?" I growled so softly that no one with human ears would be able to hear me. "Why didn't they give her the morning after pill? I thought that was standard practice with rape victims."

_"Of course we did. But, Edward, you know like any other type of contraception it doesn't always work, even with as early as she took it."_

"What are the chances? It can't really be that high. She must have taken in within an hour of the incident."

"The average is that twelve out a thousand women still become pregnant after using the medication that we gave her." My father said out loud, looking sadly over Bella.

"Of course she'd be one of the twelve." I said, my anger dissolving. "She terrified, not that she'll say as much. Confused and in pain." I answered his original question, watching her chest rise and fall with her shallowing breathing. With every second the tiny heart beat was getting stronger, like it already knew that it was meant to be.

_"What is she planning on doing?" _He sat on the single chair across from us. I was laying on the bed with Bella, much to the nurse's annoyance.

"She doesn't know yet. She already knows that she isn't going to have an abortion though. She hasn't decided if she wants to keep the baby or give it up for adoption yet either." I pushed a piece of hair away from her face, not looking at the man I considered to be my father.

_"That's good. That would be too rough on her body. She's already been through so much. What do you want her to do?" _He looked directly at me, I looked up, thinking over my response.

"I don't know. Honestly. I'm so confused and it's hard to think right now. I just want her to healthy, happy and safe. What would you do?" I questioned him, pleading almost. I knew he understood the position It was delicate and I don't think I could trust the advice of anyone else.

_"Help her make the right choice, for it. Just be there for her and let her come to her decision. She just needs your love and support, no matter what she decides." _He sat back in his chair, letting out a frustrated sigh as he ran his fingers through his thick blond hair. "Poor girl." He spoke aloud.

I simply nodded, holding her closer to me. A small smile played across her sleeping face. I wondered what she was dreaming about. It apparently was something nice. I would have to ask her about it later, when she was awake and we were alone. Her head lulled to the side and she sighed my name softly.

Carlisle smiled at me as he watched my reaction. _"You're so in love." _I could see what I looked like to him as I looked at Bella. I was gazing at her lovingly. He was just so elated that I could be this way with someone. He was so worried that I would never find my other half that he didn't care that this girl that I had fallen in love with had so much baggage.

"I am. I'll do anything to make her happy." I spoke honestly, stroking her cheek gingerly.

"Good. She'll going to need all the help she can get at this point." He stood slowly, about to leave us alone. He had to get back to his rounds anyway. _"The family is at home. Alice is going to bring her some clothes tomorrow. Rosalie wants you to tell Bella that she's sorry for her."_

"I will. Tell Rosalie and everyone, thank you. For being so understanding and leaving me alone today. It was for the best for me." I told his retreating form.

_"They already know." _Without turning around he answered, closing the door behind him as he left.

I laid with her the entire night, unmoving and thinking of what was to come. I had thought of something we could do, something we could do together. But, she would have to want to. It would make her life easier if she decides to carry on with this pregnancy, which it seemed she had.

At four in the morning the rain began to fall heavily from the sky. It washed away the impurities of the earth, cleansing it. I wished it could wash away Bella's pain. Though, it was never that easy. She rested peacefully now but what about tomorrow? What about another sunny day? I didn't know what to do about those things. It was hard to even think about.

At seven o'clock on the dot Alice came into the room, looking a little somber, carry several things in her arms. A bag of clothing and toiletries along with a large bag of food for Bella. I looked at her with a confused expression, asking her about the food with my eyes. She instantly understood.

_"She won't like breakfast." _ She shrugged her shoulders, careful not to make any noise. She knew it would be better if Bella woke up on her own. Which would happen in a few seconds...

Bella began to stir slowly, opening her eyes. "Hey Alice..." She mumbled softly, her voice filled with sleep still. She turned her face towards mine, a small spread over her lips. "Good morning."

"It is now that you're awake." I answered as I kissed her cheek lightly.

"Ugh, you two need to stop all that mushy stuff. Here Bella, I've got you something!" Alice said brightly before she tossed Bella the bag she was carrying, which landed perfectly at her feet.

"Alice, have I told you how awesome you are lately?"Bella commented as she searched through the bag of clothes and things, smiling brightly at what she saw.

"Yes, but you can tell me again." Alice smiled, proud of herself for making Bella happy.

"You're great!" Bella rose from the bed, and out of my grip, giving my sister a brief hug before going to wash up and change. I knew she hated the hospital gowns they forced you to wear.

While Bella was in the bathroom getting ready an orderly brought her a tray of food, if that's what it could be called. It was some sort of mush, maybe oatmeal, and odd cubed fruit covered in a sugary syrup. A carton of semi cool milk and cranberry juice finished off the 'meal'. I wrinkled my nose at the smell. It was revolting. If it smelt this bad to us, it must have been bad for humans as well.

When we were alone again I began to whisper to Alice. "Why didn't you see this sooner?"

"I don't know. I kept looking. I mean, you saw how often I looked!" She said in a pleading whisper. She was worried I was mad at her.

"I'm not mad at you, Alice. I'm just worried about Bella. Can you see anything else about the future?"

"No, she's made no real choices yet. No paths to follow." She looked over to the bathroom door, worrying about her new best friend. Bella was brushing her teeth, I could hear the sounds of the water and the scratching of the brush's bristles against her teeth. But, more then ever I could hear the two heart beats. I doubt I could ever tune it out now. "Edward, are you okay?"

"I'll be alright. Like I said, I'm worried." I sighed. "About her, about us, about that child."

When Bella finally came out of the bathroom she was wearing a pair of silky blue pajama pants and a matching button down long sleeved top. It made her skin glow, a perfect complement to her skin tone. Her hair was pulled into a high pony tell at the top of her head, the way she normally wore it when she wanted to be comfortable. She smiled at me, turning to show off her new clothing. "What do you think?

"Very beautiful" I smiled back at her. She rolled her eyes at my answer as she walked over to her breakfast tray. She looked at the off white goop and made an awful face. She pushed it to the side and looked at the other items. You could almost see her heart sink looking at the food. Alice held up the other bag she was carrying earlier and waved it front of Bella.

"Now, how awesome am I?" Alice beamed playfully as she handed it to my love.

Bella opened the bag and sprang on top of Alice within a second. "I love you, Alice! Thank you so much!"

Alice giggled before she responded, kissing her forehead, "You're welcome."

Bella went over to the bed and sat down beside me. She pulled out several things, placing it on the small rolling table they seem to have at every hospital. There was a bottle of orange juice, a couple of croissants with butter and jelly, a small box with thin sliced ham in it, sliced honey dew, and even some sliced fresh red ripe tomatoes. She hummed in pleasure at the feast before her and began to dig in, eating with her fingers, not even bothering with a fork. I opened the juice for her, knowing that she'd need something to drink soon.

"Slow down before you choke. Honestly, Bella. It's not going to run away from you." I teased. She smiled up at me but didn't listen, continuing to eat quickly. She drank a third of the juice in one gulp, gasping for air when she was done.

Alice snorted and I shot her a nasty look. I could see the jokes forming in her mind. Bella looked between us and then covered her mouth as she laughed, realize what was so amusing. "That was kind of funny Edward. Ironic, at least." Alice defended herself, trying to hold back a smile.

"What's ironic?" Charlie asked from the door way. He looked a bit like a beaten puppy with sad eyes. He was holding a bag just like Bella's but his was empty, his breakfast already eaten. "Thanks again for the food, Alice. You didn't have to." He threw the bag in the trash.

Bella didn't answer him but continued to eat, slowing down a little bit. She eyed her father with a cautious gaze, a frown pulling her lips down.

He knew she was still angry and would not speak to him until he swallowed his pride. She was a lot like her mother in that way, apparently. "Edward, I want to apologize for last night. You've been nothing but good to Bella. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

"Neither should have I. I understand. You were upset, and so was I." I answered as I stood up from the bed. I didn't want to make him anymore uncomfortable than he already was.

"How did you like your breakfast, Dad?" Bella said between a sip of juice and a bite of tomato. She was trying to find a subject that they could talk about without making each other mad. Food was a subject they could agree on.

"Very good actually. You've got some good friends." He flashed a smile at Alice. He didn't mean me, but he wasn't going to say that out loud.

"Dad, Dr. Grace said last night that they were going to release me today. It's conditional though, I have to go to therapy three times a week now." Bella pulled apart a bit of the bread with her fingers, placing it in her mouth. She wasn't really looking at Charlie.

"I know, she told me. Are you okay?" He leaned against a wall, his eyes downcast as well.

"I'll be fine. As long as Edward and Alice are around I know everything will work out in the end." She took a big bite of melon. I handed her a napkin, trying to hide my smile from her. She thought so much of me, I wasn't sure I deserved it though.

Then something she just said struck me. 'Work out in the end'. Alice had said the same thing last night. How could it though? I'm not sure what would happen and that frightened me. But, at the moment Bella seemed okay so I'd take our happiness when we could.

Carlisle walked in, carrying a clip board. "Well, good morning Ms. Swan, don't you look lovely this morning!" He complimented, meaning every word of it.

"Thank you." Alice said with a giggle and I was tempted to smack her on the back of the head. Of course she'd playfully take the credit for this.

Bella smiled, blushing slightly at Carlisle's kind words."Thank you."

He sat on the edge of the bed,"Well, we're going to go ahead and let you go home this morning. You'll be starting a new schedule for therapy next week. It's going to be Monday, Wednesday and Friday, still with Dr. Grace. Also, I have a prescription for you to get filled before you go home. It's just a prenatal vitamin. It's something every mother should take, every woman should take honestly. I'm setting you up an appointment with one of the OB/GYNs here at the hospital for prenatal care, as well."

"Thank you, Carlisle." She smiled at him. I rested a hand on her shoulder, patting it gently.

"You're welcome, Bella. Now, I want you to take things easy for a while. It's not good for your blood pressure to get too high. Don't eat too much junk food. I'm going to go ahead and write an excuse for you for the rest of the year in Gym, but I want you to get some sort of easy exercise. Maybe some walking or swimming? Something along those lines. I'm sure Edward will help you with that." He smiled up at me. I nodded my head.

"I'll help, too. We can take walks together Bella!" Alice smiled brightly.

"Around the mall, maybe." I snorted before I could stop myself. I couldn't help it. I looked sheepishly at her, trying to hide my smile. Alice's face was scrunched up in mock anger. She pushed my shoulder hard and I pushed her back. Bella giggled at our display.

"Enough you two." Carlisle chided like a good father."Bella, if you need anything. Anything at all, please you know where to find me. You're young and healthy so I'm not too worried. The pregnancy is going well so far. Your hormone levels are good but it's still early on. I think everything is going well, though and will continue to do so."

Bella nodded, leaning back against the bed. I placed my hand on her stomach, feeling the heartbeat. She looked up into my eyes, looking worried. I kissed the top of her head gently. "It'll be okay."

Bella wrapped herself in the long sweater Alice had brought her, holding it tight to her body as we went to the car after they released her. I walked with her to the cruiser, wishing I could take her home myself. But, I was smart enough to know that Charlie would have no part of that.

"I'll be right behind you." I whispered in her ear before helping her inside the car. Her eyes were sad but she seemed calm, for the time being.

Alice was right behind me as I walked back to the Volvo in the garage. "She'll be home in forty five minutes if you want to go shower and change. You smell."

"Gee, thanks Al." I snorted, not even bothering to look over my shoulder at her. I could tell she was smirking simply by the tone of her voice.

"You smell like burnt wood and mountain lion." She followed behind. "It's not a pleasant combination."

"Okay, okay, I'm going to shower. Forty five minutes, are you sure?" I turned to her. She was leaning against Carlisle's BMW, which was parked next to my car. I wondered how she got here, but I wasn't going to ask.

"Forty six minutes and thirty three seconds. Close enough for you?" She stated sarcastically, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yeah, it is smart ass. Do you want to ride home with me?" I offered, waving my hand at the car door.

"Thanks, that would be nice." She smiled before she climbed inside.

She waited until we were out of the parking garage to tell me what was on her mind, even though she knew I could see it dancing around inside her head. "Can we take Bella maternity shopping soon?"

"I'm not sure she'd be up for that anytime soon. Besides, she doesn't even look pregnant yet." I looked at the road. "She has a long ways to go before she's showing."

"She will soon though. Bella will need them before you know it." Alice replayed a vision in her head for me. She must have had it earlier in the night, though it really didn't seem to mean much, even if it was nice. Bella was standing in front of me, her stomach rounded with pregnancy. Her hands were resting on her sides, almost as she was holding her belly up and her shirt was lifted slightly. She had a smile on her lips. I was knelt in front of her, my hands on her stomach, feeling the baby move. I was beaming at her. This vision shocked me in a lot of ways. I didn't see how that could happen but I wasn't going to question my sister. Alice saw what she saw.

"How far along if she? Can you tell?" I asked, thinking of other questions to bother her with.

"Not sure. I think maybe six or seven months. She's cute isn't she?" Alice smiled excitedly. She had never shopped for a pregnant woman before and in her eyes it was a fun new challenge

I smiled to myself. "She's beautiful. I wonder why we're so happy. I wish I knew."

Alice shrugged, stepping out of the car. I hadn't even realized that we had already arrived back at the house. It was such a habit driving here. I didn't even have to think about it anymore.

Almost my entire family was in the living room, waiting for us arrive back home. They were all dying for some kind of news. Esme rushed to my side as soon as I was in the door. "Is she alright?"

"She's pregnant." I said. I didn't really know how else to answer. It could be taken so many ways. Some would be happy, others scared, worried or angry. There were so many emotions tied up in this that it was hard to tell them all apart.

Esme hugged me gently, like a mother would, and kissed my forehead. "I know, Carlisle told me. I'm sorry. Are you okay, son?"

"I guess. I'm not sure." I shrugged, moving towards the stairs. I was exhausted, but I wasn't the one who would have to suffer through this. I had no room to complain.

"Edward..." Rosalie called to me softly, barely above a whisper.

I stopped midstep, not looking at her. "Yes?"

"Please tell Bella that I'm very sorry and if there is anything I can do to help, I will."

I turned very slowly. Everyone's face was trained on Rose's, their mouths hanging open. Rosalie was standing in the middle of the room, a very soft and sad expression on her face, almost delicate. I'd never seen her like this before and I wasn't sure how to take it.

"Thank you, Rose. I've never respected you as much as I do at this moment. " I smiled at her, not knowing what else to say.

_"I mean it, Edward." _She spoke in her mind, only wanting me to hear those words.

"I know you do. I mean it too. Again, thank you." I turned once more and walked up the stairs to my room. Rose was feeling proud of herself and for once I agreed with her. She had said something right, now she just had to follow through with it.

"Oh! It's going to be so much fun shopping for mommy clothing!" I heard Alice say to Rosalie and Esme. I chuckled slightly. _Women_... The stress was starting to get to me though, and the action was strained.

I showered as quickly as I could and packed my back pack full of a few different changes of clothing. I wasn't sure how long I would be away from home. Even being away from her this long was causing my body to ache and I wasn't sure how much more I could handle of it. I was very glad that it was now the weekend. I don't think I could handle hours away from her right now. School seemed totally out of the question.

I parked behind her truck when I arrived at her home, leaving my back pack inside. I listened for Charlie's thoughts for a moment. He was thinking about scores. Bella must have been okay, at the very least calm.

I knocked on the door, not wanting to barge in like before. Charlie answered, grunting towards the kitchen before heading back to the living room. He was still mad at me, for some reason. Bella was sitting in a chair, nibbling on popcorn and candy, all alone.

"What did Carlisle say about junk food?" I sat across from her, taking her hand.

"Well, I was hungry and we have no food. Are you going to take me grocery shopping?" She smirked, eating another piece.

I pulled the popcorn bowl away from her. "No, I'm taking you to lunch first then I'm taking you to go grocery shopping. Go get changed and I'll tell Charlie what we're doing."

She looked surprised but nodded, heading up the stairs. I didn't really want to talk to Charlie but it was better than just leaving. I'm sure he'd find me and would try to find a way to kill me.

"Chief Swan, I'm going to take Bella out to lunch then I'm going to take her grocery shopping." I sat on the arm of the sofa, my hands resting on my knees. I was trying to appear easy going, but I wasn't really going to give him a choice in the matter either.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He turned the TV volume down. _"I can take Bella shopping if we actually need to go."_

"Well, she just said she was hungry and the wasn't anything to eat besides popcorn." I wasn't honestly trying to make him feel guilty but I did anyway. It worked in my favor though.

"Oh, I have some money for food in-"

I brought my hand up, stopping him from continuing his chain of thought. " Charlie, it's fine. Don't worry about it."

"I'm not going to take charity." He was beginning to turn red. Chief Swan thought I was a little rich kid and wasn't going to take a thing from me.

"It's not charity. I'm doing this for Bella. I like buying her things, even if it's just boring groceries." I stood, beginning to walk away, showing that the conversation was now over.

"There is money in the cabinet. Bella knows where it is, I'm sure she'll grab it." He was thinking I was fighting a losing battle. Bella hated having things bought for her. He didn't realize I was more stubborn. She couldn't argue her way out of it, even if she wanted to.

Bella slowly came down her stairs, being careful not to fall. I couldn't take my eyes off of her. I took a deep breath, "Wow."

**Two pages of detail added to this chapter. I added a whole new conversation. I know there were a lot of people who didn't like the fact that I kind of skimmed over the whole morning after thing and I wanted to explain it in this chapter. The 12 in a 1000 thing is true. That's actually a lot when you think about it. So, it is plausible that it could happen to Bella. **

**So, I don't think I've told you guys what my goal for this story is yet. I would like this one to reach more people than the original. You know, have it on more favorites lists and alerts. I haven't reached that yet, so if you could help me out, that would be great. I just want to know how many people are reading it. **


	14. Chapter 14

Bella was wearing one of the many outfits Alice had bought her a couple weeks ago when she first stayed at our home. She was wearing a long sleeved button down white shirt, perfect to hide the scratches on her arms. Her legs were covered in a blue denim skirt that went to just past her knees. The whole outfit was finished off with a pair of knee high black leather boots with a low heel. Her hair was clipped up, tiny ringlets swirled at her neck where it had gotten loose. She looked amazing and I don't think she was even trying.

Then, I realized something; this was the first time I was taking her on a somewhat real date. A normal date with dinner. Even if were we going to the grocery store afterwards it was the most we had done together outside of school. I felt like a horrible boyfriend. I should be showering her with gifts and taking her to do whatever she pleased. I just didn't want to share her with the world yet.

I took her hand, pulling her closer to me when she came down the stairs. I ran my fingers over her cheek, feeling her silky flesh. "You are by far the most amazingly beautiful creature I've ever seen."

Before she could retort I capture her lips in a passionate kiss. I didn't care if Charlie was in the next room over. I pulled her closer to me, running my hands over her back, exploring her lips. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck, reaching up on her tippy toes to meet my kiss. I felt her heart beat against my chest and the baby's against my stomach. I pulled away, surprised.

"What's the matter?" She asked, looking a little hurt.

"I can feel..." I ran my fingers over her stomach, not ready to say the word yet. "I've never been around someone who's... you know. I mean, I learned about pregnancy when I went to medical school. I didn't think I would be able to feel or hear the heart beat until you were much further along. It's heart must have started beating yesterday or the day before, when I was away. They start to develop the heart around week four and it starts to beat around week five, but most humans can't hear it until much later on. "

She put a hand over my mouth, stopping my rambling. "You went to medical school?"

I nodded, speaking with her fingers still pressed over my mouth, "Twice."

"You're too good for me." She sighed, looking down after removing her fingers.

"You have that all wrong, it's the other way around." I pulled her chin up, making her look into my eyes. She looked so sad. I hated it.

"I think-" I cut her off quickly, kissing her lips passionately once more but this time I lifted her off the ground this time, my arms just underneath her bottom.

"I think it's time to get you fed." I kissed her ear lightly, not wanting to let go of her for even a second. She shivered, her arms tightening around me.

"Bye Charlie!" She called as we moved towards the door. I couldn't help but chuckle at her eagerness. I was still carrying her as we walked to the car.

"I kind of feel like a doll." She giggled softly, her legs dangling.

"So, would that make you _my _doll?" I smiled at her playfully, sitting her on the hood of my car. She leaned back on her wrists, pretending to think for a moment with one eye closed and her nose scrunched up, then shrugged her shoulders.

"Do you want me to be _your_ doll?" She swung her legs, trying to play innocent. She batted her eyelashes at me with a silly little smile.

"Now, that's a silly question." I leaned in closer to her, trying to keep my face serious. I knew I probably wasn't doing a very good job of it, but I didn't care. This was the most relax I've been in hours.

She seemed dazed for a minute, then looked down at her legs. The hot blush crawled up her cheeks. "Edward..." She breathed my name. I could tell she had suddenly become serious, much to my disappointment.

"Yes, Bella?" I leaned in a bit closer, gazing into her beautiful chocolate brown eyes.

"Do you still love me even though I'm..." She couldn't say the word. She looked at her knees again. Her heart rate was increasing. How could she think something like that?

"Nothing in this world would or could make me stop loving you. Never doubt my feelings for you, ever." I cupped her face in my hands, placing gentle kisses all over it. I ran my nose over her jaw, breathing her scent in deeply.

"Edward..." She breathed my name again, her hand on my shoulders, gripping it tightly.

"Yes, my love?"

"I'm really hungry." She blushed, looking very sheepish. She was biting her bottom lip, looking very adorable.

I couldn't help but laughed at her sweet expression. I helped her down off the car, putting Bella on her feet, making sure she was stable before I let go. "I'm sorry, you distract me sometimes. Especially when you look like that."

"Like what?" She looked down at her clothing, confused.

I couldn't help but pull her close to me again, using one of my arms to bring her close to my body. I leaned my lips close to her ear and whispered softly. "Like the most beautiful woman on the planet."

"Edward, you're just saying that." She tried weakly to push me away, but I wouldn't let her. Especially over something as false as that.

"I do not just _say_ anything." I said in a firm voice. "I will only tell you the truth. And, the truth is..." I whispered in her ear again, using her own words against her. "You dazzle me."

She shivered, sighing softly at my words. I finally let her back down to her feet. We walked over to the passenger side, my arm around her waist. I opened the door for her like a proper gentlemen, even if I wasn't totally acting like one. I knelt beside her while she was sitting in the car, placing a gentle hand on her stomach. "I will love you no matter what."

She nodded and she looked as if she were about to cry. I placed a gentle kiss on her cheek, letting my lingers on her sweet flesh, before going to the driver side.

I held her hand all the way to the tiny restaurant. She didn't want anything fancy, and I'd let her have whatever she wanted. She was the one eating it. We sat in a comfortable silence, just enjoying her company.

We chatted only a little while she ate whatever food she had. I didn't really know what it was, honestly. She really seemed to enjoy the food she received though. I didn't know a lot about food, human food at least. I was so out of touch with certain things. I made a mental note to pick up some kind of cook book or watch a cooking show. Perhaps I could make Bella dinner one night.

I have only been to a grocery store perhaps ten times in the past hundred years, and it was certainly not to get food. If we needed something we always went to specialty stores, simply to avoid the smell, which was dreadful. This was a very new experience for me. I was actually rather nervous about it on the ride to the store. Hopefully Bella knew what she was doing.

I let Bella take the lead in the store. She pulled out a large metal cart and began to stroll the aisle. She seemed to have a system, fruits and veggies first, dry goods, meats, dairy and then frozen. If I didn't know better I would have thought she was just throwing random things in the basket.

"You really ought to eat more fruits and vegetables now that you're..." I trailed off, still not ready to say the word. She simply nodded her head. She was busy reading the back of a boxes, her eyes tracing the words.

"Does all of this really taste good?" I waved my hand over the food, making a face.

She laughed, "Yes, some of it, anyway. Not all of it is for me. Charlie has different taste then me."

"What's your favorite food?" I followed behind her as she pushed down the aisle which seem to have a million different kinds of pickles.

"Meal or single food item?" She wasn't really paying all that much attention to me as she searched for something. She seemed rather determined. It was cute.

"Both," I grabbed the can she was reaching for on the top self, chunking it into the basket. She was always too stubborn to ask for help, and it was getting a bit frustrating.

"It depends on my mood, I guess." She shrugged.

"Are you avoiding my question?" I chuckled. I stepped behind her, pressing my chest against her back,letting my hands rest on her hips.

"No... I just know that you don't like this kind of food." She blushed, leaning against me. I wondered why she blushed. I would have to ask her later.

"I want to know. Tell me, please." I kissed her neck. "I want to know know everything about you."

"Um... well, if it's just a lazy day I like a turkey with cheese on white bread, along with some sour cream and onion chips. If I want something a bit fancier I like steaks, a lot. I use to love having barbecues when I was younger. Grill outside just when the sun is setting. We'd have baked potatoes and grilled corn, maybe some ice cream for dessert." she smiled at her memories. "When I was a little girl I use to get a piece of bread with peanut butter and a glass of chocolate milk if something made me sad. I haven't had that in a while... I wonder where the peanut butter is." She was lost in her own thoughts. I couldn't help but chuckle at her. Well, she was for sure acting like a hungry pregnant woman.

"I'm going to take you out some day soon. Take you on a real date. Something nice. I'm going to take you out to dinner, then maybe to a movie. Would you like that?" I nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent.

"I love everything we do together. As long as I'm with you, that's all that matters." She turned towards me, hugging my waist tightly.

_"Oh, my god. It's Bella. Jesus, what should I do? And, she's hugging Cullen. That's so weird. I'm way better than him. She looks so happy. I can't believe they've already let her out of the hospital. She really freaked out yesterday. Maybe I should go apologize. I hope she doesn't freak out again." _I heard Newton's thoughts speed a million miles an hour once he turned down the same aisle we were on. I hadn't even realized he was in the store. He began to walk towards us, slowly, nervously.

I hugged Bella tightly, "There is someone coming. Do you want me to make him go away?" I whispered, nodding my head towards Mike. She turned to see, her face flushing when she saw it was him.

"No, I need to apologize to him."

"You certainly do not. He should of never laid a finger on you. He's lucky I don't..." I stopped once he was in hearing range, trying to keep myself from growl at him like an animal.

"Cullen." He stated shortly, nodding at me.

"Newton." I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him. _If looks could kill..._

"Bella, I just want to let you know how sorry I am about yesterday." He turned his attention away from me.

Bella looked down, playing with her fingernails."No, it's my fault. I'm sorry. There's just been so much going on lately. I shouldn't have freaked out. You understand, right?"

Mike simply nodded, not knowing what to say. He shifted uncomfortable in his spot, moving a large bottle of soda from one arm to the other. "I guess, I'll see you at school."

"Yeah, have a good night." Bella waved before pushing the cart forward. I could tell she was relieved to be getting away from him.

"He thinks you have multiple personality disorder." I groaned as I listening to his thoughts as he walked away. "Jerk."

"He's not so bad." She sighed, rearranging her cart. Bella wasn't look at me, and I could tell she was bothered but his thoughts. I couldn't believe that she was defending him.

"You don't have to listen to his thoughts at school all day." I shivered at some of the memories. He thought about doing dirty things to most of the female population, including the teachers. He had also thought about Bella, which if wasn't my favorite person before, he was on my death list now.

"He's just a normal guy. How bad can it be?" She shrugged her shoulders, pulling into a check out lane.

"Oh, my love, you are so naive. Men, especially teenagers, are dogs."

"Are you included in this group?" She lifted one eyebrow at me, smiling playfully. I stopped, thinking about the answer for a moment.

I leaned my lips in close to her ear and whispered, "I may not be human but I still am a man."

She laughed, pushing my shoulder. The cashier watched us with open curiosity. He wondered if we were related or dating. He was wondering if she was... available. I placed an arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head, deciding to end his train of thoughts quickly. He smirked, annoyed with my display. "It'll be seventy two thirty two."

Before Bella's hand reached her skirt pocket I handed the man a hundred dollar bill. Bella's face turned towards me, looking completely, well for lack of a better word, pissed off.

"I didn't invite you along so you could pay for everything." She said in a harsh whisper, not wanting to make a scene.

I took my change, smiling at the man. I took the lead out of the store, pushing the cart to the car. "I didn't come along just to keep you company either."

"You don't have to do this. I have the money." She began to fish in her pocket, like she was going to force the money on me. That was never going to happen.

"If you don't stop, I'm going go back and buy one of every single item in the store." I stated placing the items in the trunk.

This stopped Bella in her tracks. She stomped to the passenger side, plopping down into the seat, huffing and puffing the entire time. She looked like a pouting child. Her arms crossed in front of her chest. I couldn't help but smile slightly at her annoyance. She truly was innocent and sweet. Bella would have to learn that not all the time she'd get her way.

I carried everything into the house which made her pout even more. She sat at a kitchen chair, mad as an old wet hen. Charlie came in, looking from Bella to me. I smiled at him triumphantly. He was completely shocked. He shook his head and went back into the living room. He didn't want to be in the middle of this fight

I leaned my lips close to her ear, which seem to be my favorite thing to do today. "You know, the more you do that the more I want to kiss those sexy lips of yours." I placed my hand on the side of her neck and began to kiss the soft flesh of the other side.

Her heart skipped a beat and her skin became more heated under my lips. She leaned her neck to the side, bringing her hand to rest on the back of my head. She sighed, giving up her anger."Could you help me put the groceries away?" She asked softly.

"Of course I will." I smiled at her innocently as I helped her out the chair. She started pulling things out of bags, still a bit angry. She was muttering to herself as she slammed the canned goods down.

"You better kiss me like that later. That's just mean. It's cheating. You use it for your own gain. Stupid Vampire." She stomped around the kitchen, muttering under her breath. I wondered if she remembered that I could have heard that from outside.

I tried not to smile too much at her little display. It was honestly was one of the cutest things I'd ever seen. I knew she wasn't really that mad but it was cute to see her act so... human. She reminded me a bit like my female siblings when she did that.

"Later tonight, I promise I'll kiss you in a way you'll never forget." I decided to tease her a bit more. I pulled on the bottom of her shirt, running my finger tips over her bare back.

"All of your kisses are unforgettable, Edward." She whispered softly.

"Really? I think I have a lot of room to improve." I began to play with her hair, pulling it off the back of her neck. She turned slowly to face me.

"It's not fair. You have so much experience than me." She looked down, feeling embarrassed about something she really shouldn't be.

"Why do you say that?" I questioned.

"I'm sure you've been with dozens of women. I've never even had a boyfriend before you." She blushed a bright shade of pink. I had forgotten that I hadn't really disclosed this part of my life yet. I was simply so use to it that I simply, sort of, forgot.

"Why would you think I've been with dozens of women?" I pressed. I wonder if I gave off that impression. She shrugged, refusing to meet my gaze, so I continued, "Bella, honestly, you are my first girlfriend as well. I've never dated anyone else."

She looked completely shocked. I wish I could read her thoughts at that moment. It was so frustrating not knowing because whatever she was thinking made her turn a bright shade of red.

"So, you've never..." she stuttered, somehow she turned brighter red. I didn't think it was even possible. It took me a long moment to figure out what she was asking.

If I were a human boy I would have blushed, I was half way surprised I didn't somehow turn red now. That the animal blood in my system didn't somehow didn't flood my cheeks. "No, I haven't."

"But you're so... _old_. I just thought... Well, You know." She stuttered a bit breathlessly..

"Bella, there are somethings that are very important to me. I may not have a soul, but if I do I want to make sure I can get into heaven one day so I can be with you, even if there is only the smallest chance." I stroked her cheek, looking directly into her gorgeous eyes.

"Of course you have a soul, Edward. How could something, someone, as beautiful as you not have a soul?" She questioned, her face scrunched in disgruntle confusion. I could tell she didn't like my beliefs, but there wasn't anything I could do to change them.

"If I am beautiful it's just a guise to help me catch my prey." I looked away, frustrated with myself.

"Edward, look at me." She commanded, her voice strong. I turned back in shock. "You will go to heaven. You are my heaven. How could you not? You are an angel."

"Bella, how can you say that?" At that moment I could have cried. If she had only known all the things I had done in my life time. All the horrible, deadly things...

"Don't be an idiot. Look at all you've done for me!" She was starting to turn red with anger. "Edward, don't you dare talk about yourself like that. You are amazing! It kills me to hear you say things like that."

"It's how I feel, Bella" I whispered.

She crushed her lips against mine, effectively shutting me up, her fingers digging into my neck. She didn't slow down or soften. The kiss was passionate and full of desire. I could feel the tears roll down her cheeks and onto mine as our skin connected. I disengaged slowly. "Bella..."

"You deserve better than heaven. You deserve better than me. A broken... _doll_." Her tears slid down her skin, leaving wet trails. I made her cry and I hated myself for it.

"I'm so sorry..." I felt the guilt hit me in the chest, hard. I turned away from her, unable to look at her.

She came up behind me, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist. Her warm cheek pressed against my back. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"Yes, I do. I made you cry." I hung my head, covering my face with my hands. I was doing everything all wrong with her, and I didn't know how to make it right.

"You didn't make me cry. I'm crying for you, not because of you. I want you to be happy and I can tell you're not." She spoke into my shirt, her hands sliding up my chest.

I placed my hands on hers, turning my head slightly to the side to look at my love. "I am happy, I'm just scared."

"Scared of what?" Her eyes peered into mine, her lips pursed.

"Hurting you. Losing you. Not deserving you. So many things."

**Edward kind of cracks me up in this chapter. I don't know why. He's just as stubborn as her. But, I also kind of feel sorry for him. I really can't imagine how frustrating some of this has to be for him. **

**For those who are curious (because if I don't add this info, someone asks) I added almost three pages. I'll let you know the word difference in the next chapter or so. It's kind of interesting to keep up with.**


	15. Chapter 15

"You will not hurt me." She stated firmly. There was utterly confident in this face. I knew she believe this completely. I wish she'd believe it. But, I knew Bella, and I knew nothing I could say would change her mind.

"I could..." I turned to face her, pulling her chin up so she could look directly into my eyes. My eyes that showed me for what I really was.

"What do I need to do to show you otherwise?" She looked up at me, a surprising little smirk playing across her features.

"I'm not sure there is anything you can do." I told her honestly, leaning my face down into her hair and closing my eyes.

She sighed softly. After a moment she pushed me back so she could look at me. She was biting her bottom lip, looking as if she was trying to figure something out. Suddenly, Bella turned her head to the side. "Hey dad, we're going for a walk." She didn't even wait for an answer as she grabbed my hand, leading me towards the front door.

"What are you doing?" I asked, following behind. I was a little worried, especially since it seemed to involve the forest.

"Going for a walk, silly. Keep up." She stomped along through the thick under brush heading towards the back of her house. The ground was still moist from the rain earlier, making everything smell stronger.

"Me, keep up? Really?" I teased, pulling her back so she'd look at my sarcastic expression. I raised my eye brow at her. She laughed lightly, throwing her head back.

"Yes, you. I'm not talking to the trees am I?" She freed her hand from mine and waved it about to illustrate her point. She started to walk faster, going deeper in the woods.

"Where are we going?" I asked, keeping an easy pace beside her.

"Somewhere private." She stopped at a fallen tree and sat down. We were out of sight of the house. She patted the trunk, smiling up at me. I sat slowly, curious at what was about to happen.

"And, why do we need somewhere private?"

"I want to dispel some of your fears." She slipped onto my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. There was a smug little smile on her face.

"Bella..." I whispered her name, not knowing what to say next.

"Let me do this, Edward." She turned slowly, straddling my waist, the denim skirt riding up her milky thighs. I placed my hands on her back, keeping her from falling backwards. She was resting on her knees which made her slightly higher than me. Her hands resting on either side of my neck.

"You are amazing." She kissed a different place between each word, covering my face with moist little kisses. "You make me happy. You make me feel whole. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my days and nights being with you." She used her thumbs to push my chin upwards, lifting my face slightly. "I trust you with every ounce of my being. Your touch makes me feel like I'm loved and desired not torn and wasted."

I pressed my face into her chest, listening to her heart beat. She hugged me gently, letting her cheek rest against the top of my head. "I don't deserve you." I took a deep breath, her strong flora scent wrapping around me.

"Edward, I feel like I was put here for you." Her fingers tangled in my hair, forcing me to look up at her again. "I am so happy I came to Forks."

"So many bad things have happened to you here. I would have thought..."

"It was all worth it. I have you now." She kissed me then, and I felt all the love that she had for me. I felt warm and safe in her tiny embrace. I ran my fingers up her back slowly, feeling every inch of her heavenly body. All I wanted to do for the rest of time was kiss her, hold her and care for her. I knew at that second that Bella is what I was created for.

She slid back on the tree bark and I grabbed her waist, turning her so that she was sitting on my lap. Our lips never broke, neither one of us willing to pull apart. The briefest thought about her knees hurting was swept away by her gloriously warm tongue. Her salty tears flowed down her cheeks again and I pulled away, worried. "Why are you crying?"

"Because, I'm happy." She muttered, her lips searching for mine again, her eyes still closed. I pressed my lips to hers, loving the sensation of the cool against the hot. Her breath fanned across my face, making my throat tingle. I could bare it though, it was well worth it. I devoured her lips, tasting every bit of skin I could. I released her lips, giving her time to breath, and moved down to her jaw. She was panting heavily, her skin red hot and her heart beat a million miles an hour. Apparently she was enjoying it as much as I was.

I ran my fingers under her shirt, just at the along her spine. She hissed in surprised and I stopped quickly. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, it feels wonderful. Please, don't stop." Bella whispered before she moved her mouth to my neck. Her lips were greedily kissing my flesh. No one had ever done this to me before, I wasn't sure what to do with my hands, or myself in general. So, to be safe, I massaged her back gingerly. I closed my eyes, listening to both heart beats, just enjoying the sensation.

"We should get back. Charlie's wondering where we went to." I breathed, feeling completely relaxed. I didn't really want to stop, but I knew he would come out looking for us if we didn't go back soon.

She nipped at my skin, making me jump slightly. "I don't want to go. I want to stay here."

"Bella..." I laughed. "Love, I promise we will continue this later."

"I want to continue it now." She pulled back. Her lips were glistening and her eyes were bright. The blush was resting on her cheeks, her heart still beating at a wild rate. "I want you to touch me." She stated suddenly.

This time I instantly knew what she was talking about. I placed my hands on her cheeks, trying to think of way of doing this not to upset her. "Bella-" She didn't even let me finish, pulling away angrily. She stood up and began to stomp off towards the house. She was acting like a child.

"Isabella Swan. Come back here." I groaned. She turned and stuck her tongue out at me. I groaned again and went after her. "Bella, I don't want to hurt you. You have to understand that. I know you're not ready for me to do that yet."

"Yes, I am." She growled, obviously furious with me.

"I want you. I am a man and I desire you with everything I have. But, neither you or I are ready for that. When I make love to you, when I touch your body, I want all of you to be mine. I want to be married to you. I want to do this properly. Like you deserve." I grabbed her shoulders, turning her around to face. Her eyes were watering again, something they seemed to do when she became the least bit emotional.

"Why should I wait? I'm already ruined..."

I growled, "STOP IT RIGHT NOW! That was NOT your choice. You are not RUINED. You were hurt. And, if I could take the pain away I would. But, I can't Bella! You have to heal and me hurting you further, pushing you when you are not ready, will NOT help. And, what if I hurt the baby? It could kill you as well. Bella, listen to me!" I nearly yelled. Her eyes were shocked, her lips quivering. My hands were holding her shoulders. I couldn't believe I had become so... forceful with her. I had never done so before and I was a little surprised myself. I was almost about to begin to beg for her forgiveness when she answered my angry words.

"I understand." She whispered softly.

"No, you don't." I nearly sobbed the words, feeling a little hysterical by this point. "You are my angel. I will do whatever you need, but you don't need that. Not yet. I may not have a soul, but I have to do everything to protect yours."

"I told you never to say that again." Bella whispered the words furiously.

"Bella, it's what I believe." I stated softly, not able to look at her.

"I SAID TO NEVER SAY THAT AGAIN!" She screamed loudly, trying to pull away from me. I let my hands drop to my side, balling them up into fist. She made a move towards the house again.

"Bella!" I called her name. She didn't stop. I punched a thick tree, causing a hole in it. Leaves fell all around me. She turned at the sound, her mouth dropping open in shock. I had to show her my strength. She had to have some idea of what I was truly capable of.

"I can't take the chance of hurting you." I said just barely loud enough for her to hear.

"It's a chance I'm willing to take." She replied simply. I walked up to her slowly, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Let me have this my way. Please. I will give you the world, but I want everything to be right. Let me make things special for you. Let me treat you like the lady you are." I kissed the top of her head, wanting nothing more to have this conversation go away.

"You're strangely moral for a vampire." She sighed, leaning her head against my shoulder, her arms wrapped weakly around my neck. I chuckled, smiling slightly. I was just happy that she could make some kind of joke about this. I could tell she wasn't that angry with me now.

"Sorry about that," I mumbled, squeezing her for a moment.

"No. I should be grateful. You're the perfect gentlemen." She looked up at me, sighing again. I could tell she was a little put off by this and I smiled, leaning my forehead against hers. "I'll just have to get use to it.

"Yes, you will."

I scooped her up into my arms and began to carrying her back towards the house. She closed her eyes, resting against me. "I'm a little tired." She admitted with a whisper. I couldn't blame her. If I had gone through everything she's gone through in the past month I'd be exhausted to. Hell, I was tired and I was just a witness to it, but I didn't want her to know that. She had enough to worry about now.

"Then let me take you to bed." I smiled at her innocently, trying to lighten the mood some more.

"Tease." She muttered with a smirk.

I snorted, opening the front door carefully I moved past the living room to the stairs. Charlie turned when he realized we had come in. When it clicked that I was carrying Bella he hopped out of his chair like a shot.

"What the hell happened to her?" He yelled running up to us. Charlie was imagining killing me already if I hurt her in any way.

"I just got tired, Dad. Apparently, Edward is too much of a gentlemen to let me walk." Bella smirked, her eyes never opening as she spoke.

"Oh, uh... um... Okay." Charlie looked confused, not knowing what else to say. His brain was a completely jumble until it finally settled on something. _"Goodness, that boy's strong. He's not even breaking a sweat."_

"I'm going to take her up to bed, so she can get a nap. She's had a long day." I pushed past him without giving him a chance to answer me. Bella snuggled against me as I walked up the stairs.

"Your father is wondering if I have some sort of magical powers to keep you this calm." I snorted. "He needs to meet Jasper." I mused.

"Why do you say that?" She asked, looking up at me as I laid her down on the bed. The lights were off and I could tell she was straining to see me.

"He can control and change the emotions of a person, and sometimes animals. It kind of depends on what it is." I explained as I pulled the blanket over her, tucking Bella in lovingly.

"He's an empath?" Bella looked a little confused. I'm surprised she even knew the word. Most people didn't. But, she wasn't most people.

"Exactly. You know, you're a smart girl." I kissed her forehead lightly. "Have you already taken your vitamin today?"

"Yes. Those things are horse pills" She muttered, looking a little annoyed.

I laughed, kissing her cheek. I couldn't get enough of her taste, but I knew I couldn't stay up here with her forever. "I better go, or at least make it appear like I'm leaving."

"No." She commanded softly. I could already tell she was going to fight me hard on this.

"Bella, what about your dad?" I questioned. Last thing I wanted was for Chief Swan to attempt to shot me, or at least, give him a reason to. Laying in bed with his daughter was for sure a reason

"I don't give a damn about what he says. You. Stay." She scooted over in the bed, patting it with her hand like she had done earlier with the tree. I knew now for sure there was no fighting with her. Not that I really wanted to.

I moved in behind her, snuggling close to her. I kissed her neck gingerly. 'If your father tries to kill me, I'm blaming you." I said, earning a soft giggle. I quietly began to hum her song in her ear. Slowly her body began to relax against mine."Tomorrow, I'm going to take you out. You need to have a good time. I want to take you to the movies and to eat. Is that alright with you?"

"Mh hmm..." She sighed, nodding her head slowly before drifting off to sleep.

I could feel the phone buzz in my pocket and I already knew it was Alice. She must have saw my decision about the date. I quickly brought the phone out of my pants pocket, careful not to wake Bella, and brought it to my ear. "What?" I whispered harshly.

"That's a great idea! Oh, bring her over here and I'll get her all dressed up! Rosalie and Esme already said they'd help. We're going to go shopping right now! She's going to have such a great time! I'll reserve a table at La Rustica and I was thinking of renting a private theater, so you could have it all to yourself. That would be so romantic! " She babbled happily.

"Rose said she'd help? Willingly?" I questioned, cutting off her rant. Esme, yes, but Rosalie? I honestly didn't see that coming.

"Yeah, it was her idea to bring her here. I thought I could get her ready at her house, but Rose is right, we have everything we need here. It will be so much easier. It's going to be so much fun!" She was probably jumping up and down with excitement. I wondered how Jasper handled her. She was my best friend and at times I couldn't stand to be around her wild energy.

"Fine, but that's up to her. If she says no then I'm not going to force her to be a toy for you." I muttered.

"She'll say yes." Alice said with confidence. "She wants us to like her."

"Please, don't torture her." I sighed, knowing she was probably right.

"We won't. It'll be fun, like I said. Oh, by the way, we're going to get her a prom dress as well, so you better get on that." Alice's voice was firm towards the end, almost like she was scolding me for some reason.

"Oh, yeah. She's going to say no to that. You might as well not bother." I watched my sleeping love. I knew how much she avoided the girl's choice dance when all the boys asked her. I knew she cared for me, but her reasons for not going didn't change. She hated to dance.

"Well, then you better work on it! She's going, if I have to drag her kicking and screaming. She's going to have a good time. She needs to have all the experiences she can before she's not able."

"Alice, stop. I'll think about asking her." I muttered into the phone, angrily.

"She's say yes!" Alice stated before hanging up. I placed the phone in my pocket. I was tempted to crush it so I wouldn't have to listen to another one of her crazy phone calls. But, I knew it would do no good because she'd just get me another one.

So, I thought about prom for a while. Seeing Bella in a beautiful dress was extremely tempting. I wasn't sure if she'd be up to something like that though. I was almost sure she'd say no. I nuzzled her neck, taking in her scent. The idea of dancing with Bella all night seemed like heaven. Alice was right, she did need to have those experiences. I was torn.

I decided to talk to her tomorrow about it. At least I could ask. If she said no, then it was no big deal. I stroked her back gingerly. I was surprised Charlie didn't come up here. He thought about it, but decided that it would upset Bella if he made a scene. He was right, of course.

I started to think about what would happen to Bella over the next few months. The pregnancy would be difficult, even more so if she was being starred at constantly at school. She didn't need that. She nearly had enough credits to graduate, only lacking four: a math, an English, a Science, and a gym. I'm sure I could persuade a school official, with the aid of my father, to allow her to take a health class instead of gym. With her record of clumsiness, gym class was not a healthy or safe place for her. Perhaps we could look into summer school together. That way she wouldn't have to worry about giving birth in the middle of a classroom the next school year. By the time summer school was over she'd be several months along. The last couple are suppose to be the hardest. Also, she'd be done by her eighteenth birthday.

Another thought swirled in my head. Marriage. I wanted to be with her for forever. I want to be hers. I was sure of that much. I thought of the vision Alice had when she first met her. Bella as a vampire, but more importantly, as my wife. _My_ wife. Could she really be that? I pressed my face into her neck, closing my eyes. I decided then what I wanted.

"I will marry you someday." I whispered, more to myself than to anyone else. It made it final in a way, it was just a matter of when. That's something I'd have to think about later. Though, it was probably more important for her to say yes first.

She woke up after an hour or so, completely refreshed to my surprise.

It didn't seem like it was a day ago she was in the hospital. It seemed like years had passed us by. Everything had changed in a way.

I watched Bella as she made supper for herself and Charlie. She hummed quietly as she worked, trying to sneak glimpses of me when she thought I wasn't looking. It was so sweet and it made me smile to know that I wasn't the only one who did that.

Just like nights before I made a show of leaving. I moved my car to a safe place and climbed back into her window. She wasn't the in the room when I arrived so I waited for her on the bed, laying back after I kicked off my shoes. When she came it, it made my breath catch in my throat. Her lovely lips spread in a gorgeous smile.

Bella was wet from a shower, the hair clinging to the back of her neck. She was wearing a cotton white night gown that went to her knees. The thin material clung to her moist body and I couldn't help but stare. She wasn't trying to be sexy or beautiful, she just was. She crawled into bed with me, laying against my chest.

That night, all I could think of was marriage. Would she actually want to be married to me? I wanted her, there was no doubt about that. We had just became a couple, but I knew this was it for me. She was my life. I wanted to hold her every night and not have to hide in the closet like a horny human teenager. I wanted to be a man, her man. But, what else could come of this marriage?

I slid my hand over her stomach, listening to the dual heartbeats. Could I also be a father to her child? It was a fascinating thought. Could she keep this child? Could she love it? She didn't want to take it's life away, so it could have a chance. Would it have a better chance with us? Yes, I want that, I think. No, I know it. I want to at least try, if she wants to. I would love this little creature just because part of it was Bella.

**For some of you who haven't read this story before, you might kind of be surprised at Bella throwing herself at Edward. As someone who's had to deal with something like this (not nearly as dramatic as Bella's) let me just say that this behavior is based off of me. I was rather... wild... in my teenage years, until I met my husband, who like Edward is kind, loving, generous and sometimes overly gentlemen like. Every woman reacts differently. She's looking for love and approval, and that's just an easy way to get it. **

**About two pages with this one. I think this version is going to have at least a 50,000 word difference. That is A LOT. We'll have to see at the end though. The difference so far is 16,457 words. **

**Oh, and just to let you know, I'm having issues with my Internet. So, if it's late tomorrow night for Pieces of Time, don't be surprised. **


	16. Chapter 16

When I heard Charlie come to Bella's door I hid in the closet, again. He didn't really want to bother her, but he felt like he needed to. He had to run a few errands, and he wanted to offer her the chance to join him. He wanted her to say no, honestly though. Being around her now was stressful for him and he didn't know how to act around her.

"Bells, honey, wake up." He went to touch her shoulder but pulled back sharply. He thought about the last time he touched her and how Bella reacted to it.

Bella rolled over slowly, her hand searching for me in the bed. I smiled to myself. I wanted to be there when she woke up every morning and apparently she wanted the same thing. She looked up and saw her father, then groaned loudly, flopping back down on the bed. It was obvious that this was too early for her. "What do you need, Dad?"

"I need to go do a few things today. Would you like to come with me? I'm going to see Billy."

She shook her head, "No, thanks. I'm going out tonight, I think so I want to have time to get ready." She muttered into her pillow. I was honestly surprised she remembered. She was more than half asleep when I talked to her about it.

"With who?" Charlie questioned. He already knew the answer and didn't like it. I didn't know why bothered. He was hoping that it was Alice, or another female.

"Edward, of course. He said something about a real date last night. I don't know exactly what we're going to do." Her face was still pressed into the pillow as she spoke. Bella couldn't see how his eyes flashed when she said my name.

"Bells, you're not ready for that! It's not healthy..." Charlie's face flushed with anger. Frustration was glowing in his every feature. He should be careful. With his high blood pressure he shouldn't get to angry. It was unhealthy.

"I'm going out tonight." She stated, it wasn't a question or a request. I could tell by the way she said it that they were about to be in for a fight. Neither one was going to back down easily. They were both stubborn and I knew she was use to taking care of herself before this happened.

"Isabella Swan you are not going out tonight." He growled, getting angrier by the second. He was the chief of police and was not use to be given commands or people standing up to him. Well, and not be able to do something about it. But, it wasn't like he could put her in handcuffs and throw her in prison.

"You know what, I think I'll stay with Alice afterwards." She got up from her bed quickly, then knelt beside it to grab something from underneath. It was an empty duffel bag.

"It's a school night! You're not going out!" He yelled at her. Charlie was scrambling for reasons for her not to go. He was having trouble thinking straight while this angry.

"No. I am, sorry if you don't like that, Charlie. If I were going out with Alice would it be any different?" She yelled back at him, her face red.

"Of course it would be!" He shrieked back.

"Why?" She stomped up to him, her arms crossed at her chest. I could see the difference, even if I didn't agree with him. I wouldn't tell Bella that. There was no need to make her more upset.

"Because she's a girl! Edward's a... a..." He stammered, coming up with some pretty nasty names in his head, but he wasn't going to say them out loud.

"A real man? I think those might be the words you are looking for. Would you be doing this to me two months ago?!" She threw her hands up in the air. She also had a point. He probably wouldn't have.

"No, but it's different now." His face was purple. I was surprised he admitted that out loud. I never would have, if I was in his position.

"Why? Oh, maybe because I was an IDIOT and walked by myself and.... and... you know! Now, I'm KNOCKED UP! Edward didn't do this to me and so he shouldn't be punished for it!" Her body was shaking violently and her heart rate was wild. I wanted to pop out of the closet and calm her down, but I knew that wouldn't have done any good.

"It's not healthy how much time you spend together." He growled under his breath.

"Well, I'm in love with him so you better get use to him. We're a packaged deal, take it or LEAVE IT." She screamed the last part at him.

"You're grounded!" He turned his back to her. Charlie didn't know what to say. He was in complete shock. He knew that Bella had strong feelings for me, but not in love. He thought that she was far too young for that.

"Like hell I am. I'll take that as a 'leave it'. I'll have my stuff out by the end of the day." She went to dresser and ripped it open, gathering up some of her clothing in her arms. At least she didn't open the closet. She must have known where I was hiding, though there wasn't much else place to hid in this room.

"Bella! You can't leave right now. You couldn't make the drive back to Renee. She's all the way in Florida. At least let me a plane ticket if you're going to leave." He turned around, his back turned to her now, barely saying the words.

"Who says I'm going back to mom?" Bella hissed as she threw the armful of cloth down to the floor.

"Bella, don't leave." He whispered. He was heart broken. I felt sorry for him and I understood why he babied Bella. I'd never seen Bella act this way before. She was so angry. It was a little irrational.

"Then let me grow up, slowly. I need to go out now and have fun. I need to be a teenager while I still can because it's not going to last. I can't go from child to adult in a second." She sighed, rubbing her face with the heel of her palms. Tears were streaming her face in thick streams.

"I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I've already been hurt and there is nothing you can do to change it. Let me try to heal my way." She whispered, walking up behind Charlie. Bella lifted her hand to touch his shoulder, but stopped herself. It was hard for both of them to express themselves.

"I know." He cried. He felt like less of a man because of it. I wish I could tell him that I wish I could cry. Humans don't seem to know how much of a privilege that is.

"Tonight, I'm going to go to dinner and a movie with Edward. I'll be home by ten o'clock. I'll even fix you dinner before if you like. But, no matter what, I'm going." She touched his shoulder finally.

"You baby me too much. Have a good time tonight. I'm going to go visit Billy, I'll probably be gone all day. I'll see you tonight, Bells." He muttered in defeat. He hated this and the way he felt. He hated seeing her so angry. He needed to be alone so he could cry. He hadn't cried in years before Bella came to Forks. He's cried four times since.

Bella shut the door and locked it behind Charlie. She rushed to the closet and flung the door up with quite a bit of force. She wrapped her arms around my neck and cried into my chest. "I'm a horrible daughter. I don't know why I did that."

"Bella, you're emotional right now. It'll be okay. Don't worry." I soothed her hair, kissing the top of her head.

Her knees buckled suddenly and I scooped her up before she hit the floor. I moved her to the bed, where I laid her down gently. "You shouldn't get so flustered. It's not good for you, my love."

She sighed, "I couldn't help it. I don't know why, it just felt like... ugh! I don't know! He wants me to fix his meals one minute then wear pigtails and play jacks the next. There isn't a middle."

"I can see you in pig tails." I said, trying to lighten the mood. It worked and she smiled at me before flopping back on the pillow.

"So, did I start that for nothing? She closed her eyes, rubbing her face with her finger tips.

"No. You didn't. I am taking you out tonight, if you'd like that? We can stay home, if you'd like." I held her tiny body to mine, stroking her face gingerly. Her heart rate was finally decreasing from the fight earlier. It wasn't good for her or the baby for it to get so high.

"Take me out." She whispered, leaning up on her elbows. Her lips met mine, her tiny hand rest on the back of my neck, and I kissed the saltiness of her tears off her lips.

"As you wish." I pulled back, kissing her forehead lightly. My phone buzzed in my pocket causing me to growl softly. I knew who this was going to be.

"Get her over here by two. Oh, and work on what I told you about last night" Alice started as soon as I opened the phone, not even giving me a chance to say hello.

"What if I told you you couldn't get your evil little paws on her?" I smirked into the phone.

"Then, I'd tell you that I'm going to win. I have Esme and Rose on my side. I'll win! Get her over her by two. Edward, two!" She clicked the phone off. I growled at it again as I snapped my phone shut. I'm honestly surprised I didn't break it with the force.

"Evil little fairy," I muttered to myself. Bella laughed softly, taking the phone from my hands.

"Loud Evil little fairy." She kissed my lips again with a smile. "So, two o'clock?" She traced her fingers over my cheek, her face a less than two inches away.

"I can tell her get lost if you want." I smiled at her, placing my hand on her cheek.

"No." She kissed my neck. "I'll go willingly. But, on one condition." She kissed my shoulder through my shirt, her hand resting at my hips as she tortured me.

"What's that?" I looked at her, confused. I knew it was because of her mouth that I couldn't think. It was wonderful and tempting. She took my face into her hands and kissed me slowly, leaving a burning sensation behind. I felt like I was on fire.

" Tell me about the thing you need to work on?" She captured my lips then, but just for a moment before she returned her focus to my neck. _She was seducing me, and it was working, _I thought to myself in astonishment.

"Um... uh... Well..." I didn't know how to word this. She was making it hard to think. I knew I should stop her but I liked it to much. I knew this would probably be a problem in the future, but I couldn't find enough energy to care at the moment.

"Yes, Edward?" She smiled up at me, trying to play innocent. Bella knew exactly what she was doing.

"You're cheating, you know that? You shouldn't be able to do that to me." I mumbled, disgruntled with my lack of control as my arms slid around her tiny waist.

"Oh, tell me. Please?" She pouted her lips out, teasing me. Her mood swings were astounding. I would have to learn how to deal with them. I didn't mind though, it was worth it just to be around her.

"I... " I fumbled for the words. Why was I nervous? What's the worst she could say? "I want to escort you to prom. Please?" I said slowly, making each world carefully. It was like I was waiting for her to punch me or yell at me, but she was silent. She looked thoughtful for a few moments before answering.

"I can't dance." She whispered, her eyes sad. "And, do you want to be known as the guy who took the pregnant girl to prom?"

"I don't give a damn about what those tiny minded idiots think. And, I think you can dance, you're just scared to." I kissed her forehead, trying to comfort her.

"Edward, I'd understand if you wanted to stop seeing me." She whispered, looking away from me.

"Stop trying to give me a way out. I don't want it or need it. I want to be with you. Stop it, okay?" I ran my fingers absently over her soft stomach. The tiny heart beat was getting stronger. "Go to prom with me. Give me the honor of going with the most beautiful girl in school" I whispered the words in her ear.

"Edward..." she sighed my name in weak protest.

"Say yes." I kissed her bottom lip, looking directly into her eyes as I did so.

"Yes." She whispered. She pressed her face into my chest.

"Thank you." I kissed the top of her head. "Lets go get you some breakfast."

At one thirty we decided to head out. We sat in comfortable silence in the Volvo through out the ride. I knew Bella had a lot to think about, as did I. So much so that I didn't know how I was going to sort it all out. Bella seemed content, but I noticed how she rubbed her hands across her stomach. I wondered if she thought more about what she wanted to do with the baby. She hadn't brought it up again, so I decided to let it be for now. There was no rush. We had at least another eight months before she had to decide. There was no need to push her into a decision right away.

Alice was waiting outside for us when we pulled up, bouncing on her toes. "There you are! What took you so long?"

"You said two Alice." Bella laughed as she stepped out of the car. I was by her side in a second, my arm around her waist.

"But, there is so much to do!" Alice told her, the list running through her head as she took Bella's hand and lead her up to the house, away from me.

"Gee, thanks Alice. I know I'm ugly but really now." Bella muttered under her breath.

Alice stopped, turning toward Bella. She grabbed Bella by the shoulders, shaking her gently. "You are not ugly! But, tonight is special and I want you to feel as pretty as you really are. You need to be pampered." Alice finished softly, wrapping her arms around her, pulling Bella into a tight huge. _"I can feel the baby's heart beat" _She said in her head, looking at me from over Bella's shoulder.

I nodded, walking behind Bella, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder to get her attention. "If you need help escaping just call my name. I'll be right there." I kissed the top of her head lightly, not wanting to be away from her for a second.

"You. Go get ready." Alice pointed at me her eyes narrowed,.

"Yes, mistress of all that is evil and pink" I growled at her. Alice sneered at me and punched my arm, hard.

"That's head mistress to you! Now go!" She took Bella up to her room before I could retort, practically carrying her up the stairs. I watched their retreating forms, sighing softly. Emmett was suddenly by my side.

_"How she doing?" _He asked.

"I don't know. The mood swings are bizarre. One minute she's really angry then very calm." I shrugged my shoulders. "It's hard to keep up sometimes."

"Dude, welcome to my world." Emmett snorted. "They're all like that." He said out loud.

"Rose heard that" I smiled to myself as angry thoughts passed through her head.

"Oh, Sorry Rosie!" He cried. She snarled at him from Alice's room. I couldn't help but laugh. I knew she'd forgive him, but she liked to give him a hard time. It was the story of their marriage.

"You better go get ready before you have all four women get on you. Now, that is scary." Emmett slapped my shoulder with a laugh. I nodded before I made my way up the stairs. I stood against the wall closest to Alice's door. I shouldn't have listened but I couldn't help myself. I wanted to make sure that Bella was okay. I knew she was safe from certain things while in my family's care, but not everything.

"Are you okay, dear?" Esme asked, her voice soft. _Always_ _the_ _mother_, I thought to myself.

"Yes, I'm alright, I guess. It's so strange. It's like... Edward is a drug. While I'm with him I'm calm and so happy. But, when we're apart it feels like my chest is going to explode."

"You're in love with him." Rosalie said, her voice sweet and light. I could see what Bella looked like in her mind. Rose saw her for the first time like I saw her: beautiful and innocent.

"I am. So much so. I'm scared of losing him." I could just imagine the sadness in her eyes as she said those words. We felt the same way. I was so scared of losing her.

"He loves you, too. He's so happy." Alice chirped. "Happier than I've ever seen him before."

"How could he be though? He shouldn't have to deal with my baggage."" Bella asked, her voice pleading. "No one wants to deal with that."

"Bella, honestly. He has his own baggage. We all do. He loves you." Rose said in a firm voice. I would have to hug and thank her later.

"He shouldn't want me. I'm going to get fat and uglier. And, I don't know what I'm going to do about the baby." She was crying by this point, her voice strangled with emotion.

"Bella," the bed springs creaked as Esme sat beside her, "I know my son. He is not petty or cares about appearance. He loves you for who you are and whatever you decide to do he will support you."

"What if... What if I want to keep this baby? I can't ask this of him or of you. I can't ask him to sacrifice his time and life for me." Her voice quivered. "There is so much work with a baby."

I saw the vision of me in front of Bella again, touching her smooth rounded belly in Alice's mind. I understood it now. Alice sat beside Bella, rubbing her back. "Then he will help you, every step of the way. Trust me, I know." I could just imagine Alice tapping her forehead like she always did.

I leaned my face against the wall, trying to think. I also tried to will my body to move. This was a private conversation and I shouldn't have imposed on it. But it was like I was glued into place.

"Thank you, every one of you. You are all so amazing. I want to be like you one day." She whispered the words. Another one of Alice's visions swirled in my head. Dead but extremely beautiful vampire Bella. My wife.

_"Have you heard enough or do you want to hear more?" _Alice asked in her head sarcastically. She knew I was there and I felt guilty for listening. Of course she knew. She probably wanted me to hear.

"Come on, Bella. Let's get you ready for tonight." Rose said in a kind voice. She was thinking how much she hoped Bella ended up happy in the end. I had the same hope. I really needed to hug Rose later. She deserved it.

**Blame hormones for that fight. I understand how she feels. It's no fun at all.**

**So, I was hoping that you guys could help me get to 900 reviews. Please?**


	17. Chapter 17

I took a long time in the shower. Showers always helped to keep the voices in my head at bay, but no matter what I could hear the conversation from earlier replaying over and over again. Poor Bella crying and me not there to hold her. I wish I could make her realize that I'm not leaving for any reason. Why couldn't Bella realize that I wanted her and the baby, if that's what she wanted. I thought I made that clear, but I suppose not. I would have to talk to her about it. Tonight perhaps, if it felt right.

I stepped out of the shower and dried off quickly. I slipped on a pair of black slacks before heading over to the stereo. I placed a CD in slot and turned it on. Rhapsody in Blue began to fill the room. I smiled at the jazz sound. With the fluffy white towel still in my hand, I walked over to the couch and sat down. I dried my hair slowly, swiping it through my hair over and over again. I lulled my head back afterwards, trying to relax.

I heard her soft foot steps and I could tell she was barefoot. Her sweet scent wafted though the room as she entered. Both heart beats were rapid. I looked up and smiled at the wonderful sight I was greeted with. Bella was in a black robe, and not much else from what I could tell, that went just past her knees. Her hair was wet, like mine. She was blushing slightly, looking down at her freshly painted red toenails.

"How did you manage to out run her?" I teased.

She smiled wryly, walking slightly closer. "Well, apparently Jasper and Emmett were about to get into a fight and destroy something. Rosalie and Alice went to control their husbands and Esme went to protect her furniture. I'm sure they'll come find me in a minute."

"Well, let's not waste a second of it then." I moved at vampire speeds to Bella, surprising her a little bit I think. Her heart sputtered at my touch and I smiled down at her. I grabbed her up my arms and brought my lips to hers in an intense kiss. She breathed heavily, her heavenly scent spreading through my head.

"Why don't we just stay home and you can keep wearing that." She giggled after the kiss, running her fingers over my bare chest. I finally remembered that I wasn't wearing a shirt and I became embarrassed. I buried my face in her neck, which was slightly wet from her hair.

"As tempting as that is I want to see what Alice has for you to wear." I pulled away from her reluctantly and went to the closet, searching for a shirt.

She came up behind me and ran her nails down my still uncovered back. I shivered as the chills ran down my spine. Bella placed gentle kisses along my shoulders blades, her lips leaving a fiery trail. "How tempting is it? Can I possibly persuade you?"

"You said I could take you out. Please?" I whispered, trying to have at least a little bit of control. If she kept doing that we wouldn't be leaving this room for days, or weeks.

"There you are! I wondered where you went to!" Alice cried from the door way her voice annoyed. Bella sighed, leaning her head against my back.

"Like you didn't know." I muttered. Alice shot me an angry look. I turned, completely ignoring my sister, and kissed Bella fully on the lips for a long minute. I ran my thumb over her slightly swollen lips afterwards, smiling at the redness that covered her cheeks. "Go get ready so we can escape together."

"Okay..." She leaned into my chest and kissed the place my heart should have been, her hands running up my arms.

Alice grabbed Bella and swept her away from me. "GET DRESSED!" She shouted at me when she was half way to her room. It was so tempting to go and rescue Bella now, just to piss off Alice.

I slipped on a plain white shirt and buttoned it quickly, trying to distract myself. I sat back down on the leather couch. The song wasn't nearly as relaxing as it was before. I flipped it to a different song: Beethoven's symphony No. 7. I closed my eyes, listening to the piano.

_"May I come in." _

"Of course, Carlisle." I never opened my eyes as I answered his unspoken request.

"What are you plans for this evening?" He questioned, sitting beside me. It wasn't being a father at that moment, but a friend.

"Alice hasn't told you? I'm surprised." I opened one eye and saw him smile.

"She has, but that's not what I mean." He replied.

"Then what do you mean?" I asked, looking at at him fully now, my head still against the back of the couch.

_"Are you going to tell her your plans for school?" _He thought so that no other ears could hear it. He knew I wasn't ready to tell the whole family yet.

"I see Alice saw that too." I sighed, annoyed. Sometimes having no secrets were very aggravating, but if I could trust anyone with this it would be Carlisle.

"Of course she did. Did you ever have any doubt that she would?" He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes, knowing that he was right.

"Yes, I am going to talk to her about it. Why?" I stood up, tucking in my shirt. I kept my back to him as I answered. I wasn't sure what he thought of my idea and I didn't want to disappoint him.

_"I think it's a good idea. I will help, if you need it. The health class could be arranged for both of you." _He thought directly at me. I slowly turned, eying him for a long moment before I responded.

"Thank you, father."

He smiled at me then before standing. He shook my hand. _"I think she's a good match for you."_

"I think so, too." I smiled, looking down at my feet. I felt a little embarrassed at the amount of love and respect that this man and I had for each other. It could be overwhelming at times.

I was impatient. I had to admit that was one of my biggest faults. I waited for Bella at my piano. I slammed my fingers against the ivory keys, trying to alleviate some of my boredom. I played a mixture of songs. Classical, my own creations and some more modern songs. The music flowed effortlessly from the instrument, which was perfectly tuned. It was four o'clock and I was ready to go. Besides, we needed to go to get there on time.

I heard her shoes clicking against the stairs. I also realized that I didn't hear anyone or anything else. My family had disappeared from the house. _How_ _tactful_, I thought to myself. I turned slowly on my bench and I was amazed. She was breathtaking.

Bella was in a navy blue blue satin dress that fell to her knees, showing off her perfect long legs. A sash was tied at her waist, making her stomach seem flatter and her breasts pushed upwards. It covered every inch that needed to be covered but the sight of her was sinful, giving me thoughts that no man should think. At least if he was a gentlemen, but no one could or should look that good. Her hand slid down the banister she walked, holding it tightly, that's when I realized her shoes. Navy patten leather high heels. They must have been at least three inches high. Was Alice trying to kill her? I went to the stair case, just in case I had to catch her but some how she managed to make it down to me without falling. I could tell how hard she was concentrating to do so. Her lovely hair hair swung at her shoulders as she moved. It always looked the best when it was down.

I didn't realize I was staring at her with my mouth open until she finally said, "That bad?"

"Dear god..." I muttered. "You're so beautiful. I don't deserve you."

She pressed her lips together, blushing scarlet. I took her hand, placing a gentle kiss on her knuckles and led her to my car. I loped to my side, trying not to remove my eyes from her. She nervously played with the hem of her dress. I loved how she sat with her ankles crossed, so lady like. If I met her when I was a young man I would have instantly fallen in love with her. I would have begged her father to let me marry her until I wore him down. If I was a human now things would be so different but I'm not so sure it would be better.

I held her hand as we made our way to Seattle. We had reservations at La Rustica, a little romantic Italian restaurant at five. A normal human would have never made it there in time, but they didn't speed like me. Poor Bella's nails dug into the flesh of my hand as I pushed the car hard. When I pulled up to the restaurant she looked relieved and a little bit surprised.

"If you want to go somewhere else we can. I don't mind." I leaned over to her, kissing her cheek.

"No, this is perfect. Thank you."

The host was waiting for us when we came in. His thoughts were not pure about Bella and I had to keep from growling at him. Bella did look nice, beyond nice, but I didn't want other men to look at her. She pressed close to my side as he led us to a private table in the back and told us our waitress would be with us in a moment.

"Good evening!" The girl's eyes roamed over Bella before noticing me. Her smiled brightened and she began to speak only to me after that. It was hard not to roll my eyes "Would you like to hear tonight's specials?"

I waved my hand towards Bella. "Would you, my love?"

The girl scowled for a second before recovering a stony face. Bella nodded her head and the waitress went into a very practiced speech. When she was done she looked over at me, expectantly. "What can I get you to drink?"

"What would you like?" I asked Bella, ignoring the girl standing before us. I was having too much fun annoying her. Besides, I had much more beautiful things to look at.

"Ginger Ale." Bella asked softly, she was holding her stomach.

"Two ginger ales. Thank you" I dismissed her. She stomped off, pissed off at me ignoring her. She thought I was too good looking to be with Bella, which I didn't understand. She must have been blind. Some females were just too petty.

"Are you okay?" I asked gently. I reached for her hand, forgetting all about the waitress once I saw the pained expression on her face.

"I'm fine. Just hungry I guess." She said, forcing a smile.

When the waitress came back Bella ordered the first thing on the menu, not really looking at it and I declined any food, of course. There was no need to waste it.

"If you change your mind just let me know." She winked at me and I grimaced.

"Well, could she be a little more obvious?" Bella snorted as she walked away.

"I don't know what you mean..." I tried to play innocently. I didn't want that stupid girl to ruin our evening for any reason. I unfolded my napkin, playing with it with my fingers.

"Yes, you do. Are you embarrassed?" She pressed, her hand resting on my knee underneath the table.

"What do you mean?" I looked up at her from underneath my eye lashes. She was smiling at me. I instantly knew right then that she knew for sure I was. I hated when women thought those things about me.

"When you become embarrassed you look away or try to hide your face." She squeezed my knee, still smiling. "Don't be."

"You're too observant sometimes." I looked away, smiling. I'm glad I couldn't blush. If I did my cheeks would always be as red as Bella's. She just had that effect on me.

She bit her lip, the blood rushing to her lovely apple cheeks. I reached over and touched her flesh, feeling the blood swirl underneath my fingertips. She closed her eyes and rested her cheek against my palm.

"You're so beautiful it hurts sometime." I whispered, watching her face in it's relaxed state.

"What do you mean?" She opened her eyes, raising her face.

"It kills me not to have you in my lap right now. All I want to do right now is hold you and touch you." I smiled at her, her cheeks becoming redder with with each word.

"I can't believe how perfect you are." She smiled, taking my hand. Bella brought my fingers to her lips and kissed them lightly, her eyes half closed.

I was going to respond to her earlier comment but her food came. The waitress flirted poorly for a minute before walking away, disgruntled. Bella was already digging into the mushroom ravioli. She carefully brought the food to her full lips, making sure none of it fell into her lap. I realized her drink was empty so I slid mine over to her. It's not like I needed it anyway.

In less then forty five minutes we were completely done. We had about thirty minutes before we had to be at the theater, the evening moving faster than I expected. I took her to the car, my arm wrapped securely around her thin waist. "That was so good Edward, thank you."

"You deserve the best." I whispered into her neck, kissing a tiny trail to her ear. She tasted like honey to me. When we reached the car I turned her around, pressing her to the door.

"What movie are we going to see?" She inquired, running her fingers over my arm.

"It's a surprise." I muttered into her skin, my lips still devouring her neck. I don't know why I couldn't keep my lips off of her flesh. Everything about her today was so overpowering.

"Edward...?" She whispered, running her fingers in my hair.

"Yes?" I mumbled as I nibbled on her ear, suckling it between my lips.

"If you keep doing that we're not going to make it to the movies." I felt her tremble slightly, pressing herself against me, her whole body hot against me.

"Sorry..." I muttered pulling back. I was a little ashamed of myself. I took off my jacket and wrapped it around her slight frame, not wanting her to get too cold. I opened the car door for her but she didn't go in.

"I didn't say it was a bad thing." She lifted up on her tip toes and kissed me. She pulled back after a moment and sat in the car, making sure to keep my gaze while she did. I stood there a second to collect myself. I shook my head and went the other side. She was going to be the death of me.

When we arrived at the movie theater I went directly to the box office. "I'm Edward Cullen and I..."

The young girl raised her hand to stop me. "Mr. Cullen we've got everything set up. Theater number eleven is ready for you. Have a good night." She eyed Bella who was standing a ways back. The girl thought I was being romantic and wished someone would do that for her. I hoped it was true, that it was romantic.

I took Bella's hand and led her into the theater. Her tiny heel clad feet clacked against the tile floor as we walked. "Come on Edward, what are you seeing?" She said in a soft, pleading voice.

"Patience is a virtue." I smiled at her in a charming way.

"One I have never possessed." She muttered, looking away annoyed. It was hard not to laugh and tell her I was the same way. I'm sure she figured that out already though.

I brought her into the empty room and she looked around, confused by the lack of people.

"We have it all to ourselves." I stated, placing my hands into my pocket. She turned to face me. Her face was bright and smiling.

"You didn't have to spend so much on me." She looked at her toes but continued to smile.

"You're worth more than this." I whispered.

"All I want is you." She wrapped her arms around my neck tightly and I held her tiny waist, pulling her closer to me.

"You already have me." I leaned down and whispered in her hair. "For the rest of time."

She leaned into me and I could feel her knees begin to buckle for the second time today. I scooped her up and carried her to the top row. I went to the middle seat and sat down, placing her on my lap.

The movie theater went dark right after and she snuggled up against me. I arranged for there to be no previews and go directly into the film. Transformers came onto the screen. Bella threw her head back in laughter.

"What?" I smiled at her sheepishly.

"I don't know what I expected. It wasn't this though." She waved her hand towards the screen.

"I like this movie. Also... it hards to find classic film reels in less than twenty four hours. I wanted to do something less... modern. But, this is what they had. I hope you don't mind." I nuzzled her neck.

"Oh, it fine. I've just seen it before." She bit her lip as she turned to look at me.

"We can go if you want." I questioned, feeling a little stupid for not picking something better. Sadly, this was the best I could come up with. I needed help with this dating stuff.

"I don't want to watch the movie." She stated. I felt a little hurt for some reason and was about to get up but her lips crushed against mine. Her fingers gripped the back of my neck. "I would rather be kissing you no matter what movie was playing, Edward."

Our lips were joined for over half the movie. I'd never done anything like this before. I truly felt like a teenage boy. I know that if I were human Bella would have left several hickeys on my neck and I had to be careful not to do the same. I felt guilty for letting her do those things to me but the wonderful movement of her lips over shadowed that. I couldn't resist if I wanted to. When she finally pulled away and rested her head on my shoulder, she sighed happily. "Thank you."

I stroked her back. "For what?"

"Being wonderful," she said, her voice sleepy. Her eyes started to droop. I held her to my body, making sure my jacket was still tight around her. I watched as her chest rose and fell with each breath. I was too interested with her to watch the movie. Even if she was asleep.

A light gleam of sweat was starting to cover her skin and she shifted uncomfortable on me. I brushed my fingers over her forehead to check to make sure she didn't have a fever. She didn't though but I could hear her stomach turning, whooshing. Even a human could probably hear it.

She woke up with a start and literally leaped off of me. She made a mad dash down the stairs, faster and more graceful than I thought possible for what she was about to do. She made it to the trash can by the door before she lost her dinner. I came up behind her, pulling her hair away from her face. Tears were streaming down her face and her skin was blotchy. I hated that I knew there was nothing more I could do to help her.

"I'm so sorry. I've ruined everything." She muttered after she got sick a second time. She was panting, trying to catch her breath.

"No, you didn't. You didn't ruin a thing. You're pregnant. It's called morning sickness." I rubbed her back, continuing to hold her hair away from her face. I didn't know what else to say to make her feel better.

"It's not morning," she whimpered. Her eye lashes were matted with tears. She clutched the trash can for support, still breathing heavily.

"That's an old wives tale. You can become ill at any time. Some women stay sick during the entire pregnancy and others don't have it all." I pulled a handkerchief out of my pants pocket and handed it to Bella. She wiped her mouth, looking completely horrified by what happened.

"I'm just lucky like that." Bella smirked, leaning against the wall.

"It's fine, Bells. I promise it'll get easier. I wouldn't be too surprised if Carlisle knows some things to help you feel better. At least make it easier. " I took her hand, I kissing the top of it lightly.

She smiled, which surprised me.

"What?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You called me Bells." She slid down the wall, sitting on her bottom, her dress fanning out around her.

"Is that okay?" I sat beside her with my knees bent.

"I love it." She leaned her head on my shoulder. The sweat clung to her forehead still, making her bangs stick to her skin. I pushed it to them to the side.

"Lets get you to Carlisle, okay?" I asked before scooping her up. She didn't argue, thankfully, but rested her head in the crook of my neck. People gave us strange looks as we walked through the theater lobby but when they noticed how green Bella appeared they left us alone. No one wants to be thrown up on.

I slipped her into the car and laid the seat back for her, wanting her to be as comfortable as possible. She shifted into a comfortable position after she kicked he shoes off. I leaned down and kissed her neck lightly, honestly wanting to check her temperature again without worrying her. She was already asleep by the time I got in the car. That was fine with me. I drove as fast as I wanted, getting us home in forty five minutes.

When I pulled up Carlisle was waiting for us. I wasn't surprised.

"Emmett went to the store for us. He'll be getting some things to help poor Bella." He opened Bella's door. She was peacefully asleep, one of her arms over her eyes.

I looked over at him as I stepped out of the car, raising an eyebrow.

"Alice saw her running to the trash can." He smiled sympathetically at my pale girlfriend. "Bring her into my office so I can examine her. I'm sure she's fine but I still want to check."

He went into the house, a white blur of doctor. I scooped up Bella into my arms and walked slowly so I wouldn't jostle her. I didn't want to startle her awake. I sat her on his brown leather couch, making sure she wouldn't fall off if she did wake up with a start. "Bells, we're home, love." I kissed her moist flesh, feeling her shift under my light touch.

She sat up,looking completely surprised. She looked green again, bringing a hand up to her mouth as laid back. Carlisle knelt beside her. "Hey there, how are you feeling?"

**Sorry, this chapter was suppose to be posted last night, but I fell asleep. But, here you go. Better late than never. **

**Well, I've never thrown up on a date before, but I can imagine it would suck. I can honestly say that my morning sickness isn't that bad. I don't have any at all now. **

**And, for those of you who haven't read this before, did transformers surprise you? I didn't think she needed a huge romance. It's a bit much for her right now.**

**Ready for the next chapter?**

**Oh... and... HAPPY HALLOWEEN! If you want to check out what I will be up to tonight go to Jayeliwood's youtube page and find Katherine's Halloween. Tell me what you think.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Okay guys, you're probably getting sick of messages like these but I've gotten a few PM s asking me where I'm at, so I wanted to let you know what's going on. **

**Over the weekend I got really sick. I've been slowly getting better, and today I went to the doctor (which I'll tell you about in a minute) But the gist of this little AN is to let you know that I haven't been able to write anything for almost a week now. Now that I'm finally starting to get back on my feet again I will try to get back to my regular updating schedule as soon as possible. I'm really sorry, but I know you guys understand and support me. **

**Now, for all those wonderful people who are really curious about what's going on in my pregnancy. Next month I will be at 5 months. Nope, don't know what it is yet, but we will find out next Wednesday, hopefully, if the baby isn't too stubborn. I've actually lost 6lbs, which scares me a little bit but my doctor says it's alright. (By the way... I have the HOTTEST doctor EVER. It's awful. I get all stupid and giggly around him. It doesn't hurt that he's like 25, 6'5 and super nice with a great smile. ) The diabetes thing is going alright. It's just kind of annoying. If you're wondering what's been kicking my ass the past week, it's been a cold... that I got from my mother. Thanks, mom huh?**

**Well, since I'm being kind of a pain in the ass and not updating (sorry) I have some recommendation for you viewing and reading pleasure. **

**If you haven't see it yet, Youtube the Scene where Bella meets the family. It's a full 8 minutes long almost. Also, check out all the cool TV spots. **

**Reading recommendations:**

**Anything by Daddy's little Cannibal or Muggleinlove. They are both great writers with lots of fun stories. **

**ObessingoverEdward's great story Lady of the Knight. This is her first real story on fan fiction and she is amazing! She also has some really great lemon one shots. She's a real talent, something you don't see enough of, even in published novels. **

**Writerwithabite's Midnight Margaritas. A little something different. First published story as well. **

**Cullenista's Blue Moon over Manka's. Very in Character, with great long chapters. Lots of details. **

**Ashel-13's Making Love out of nothing at all or Total Eclipse of the heart. MLOONAA is nothing but great lemon fluffy fun. TEOTH has an interesting plot and is co written with her boyfriend. **

**Anyway, I want to thank you guys for all your warm wishes and understanding. I know a lot of you are moms, sisters, aunts or even grandmothers so you understand.**

**Hope to read you soon!**

**Jay**


	19. Chapter 19

"Green" Bella sighed, taking a deep breath through her nose and releasing it through her mouth. One of her tiny hands went to her stomach, clutching it tightly.

Carlisle chuckled, giving her a reassuring smile. "That doesn't surprise me. I'm just going to check a few things, okay?"

He sat beside her on his couch and began his examine. I knew most of it was for show, to make her feel more comfortable. He was just so use to dealing with humans this way. He could tell most of it without even coming within ten feet of her. Bella's heartbeat was normal, as was the baby's. She didn't have a fever and her blood pleasure was only slightly high from the stress, which wasn't uncommon for someone who just became ill. She wasn't having any pain, other then the slight twisting of her stomach.

When he was done there was a small knock on the door. Rose stood in the doorway with a glass of water in hand. "May I come in?"

Bella nodded at her and she shifted her position so that she was looking at my sister. Rose sat beside her, handing her the glass. "I think you'll feel better if you have something to drink."

"Thanks, Rosalie. That's very nice of you." I smiled at her. I hoped she could tell I was truly grateful. It wasn't often when Rose wasn't selfish in some way, and I was glad that she was starting to grow, even just a little bit.

Bella drank the water down quickly, taking large gulps. Carlisle took the glass from her when she finished it, setting it on his desk.

_"I'm going to tell her, do you mind if you give us some privacy?" _Rose looked directly at me, her soft amber eyes pleading.

"Tell her what?" I questioned out loud, then it dawned on me. "Oh, of course. Bella, I'm going to get you something to wash your face with. Carlisle, could I speak to you for a moment?"

Bella looked confused but nodded, not opening her mouth, which was set in a straight little line. Carlisle's face didn't reveal anything but his mind was curious. "Rose and Bella need to talk" I whispered to him so that only the vampires in the room would hear. He instantly understood, coming to his feet.

I stood outside of the door and listened to Rosalie begin her sad story. "Bella, I know how you feel."

"What do you mean?" My sweet girlfriend asked innocently. She had no idea what was coming up next, but I did.

"Well..." I walked away before she launched into the whole story. I knew it all already, too much. It's something that she actually thought about often, but almost never spoke out loud about. I'd been the one to help her get her revenge, as a matter of fact. I went to the bathroom up the stairs and wet a wash cloth. Carlisle was behind me the entire time.

"Have you talk to her about summer school yet?" He inquired.

"Not yet, I was honestly too busy to."

_"Making out?"_ Even in his mind he smirked.

"We saw a movie, thank you very much." I defended myself. Now I was acting like a teenager. He rolled his eyes.

_"Liar Liar..." _His smile grew, his eyes twinkling.

"Shut up." I snorted at the man that was my friend, and my father. I knew he was just trying to get a small rise out of me, all in good nature though.

"I think you need to go ahead and bring this up to her now. If you'd like, I can bring it up. As her doctor, of course." He watched me as I rung out the water from the cloth, trying to make it perfect for Bella. Carlisle was enjoying this more loving side of me.

"Actually, that might be a good thing. That would be very helpful. Thank you." I didn't look at him. I knew he was right about the whole thing. If it came from her 'doctor' then Charlie wouldn't argue with us as much. He may not be happy with the fact that I was going to go with her but he could get over it.

We made our way back down to the study. I could hear Bella crying and Rose hushing her softly. I came in, surprised to see Rose rocking Bella in her lap.

_"I had to tell her about my change. I had to. I'm sorry. I know you didn't want me to. I told her everything."_ She looked at me, asking for forgiveness. I was upset but I knew Bella would find out some day. I just wish it didn't happen or I would have told her. I was wondering why Bella was crying though.

"What's the matter, love?" I knelt in front of her, rubbing her knee softly.

"Poor Rose. I'm so sorry." She hugged Rose tightly. Much to my surprise she hugged her back. Rosalie's eye flicked over to me.

_"I may like her but that doesn't mean that like that she's human. Change her, Edward. Make everyone's lives easier" _Her face was strong, and slightly angry. I shook my head and she growled softly, _"Don't be an idiot. You would die if something happened to her."_

"I won't make her a monster." I stated so softly only she could hear me.

"That's her choice." Rose spoke out loud, loud enough for Bella to hear. Bella looked between us, confused. Rose rubbed Bella's back before getting up. "Bella, if you need anything let me know, okay? Emmett should be back soon." With that Rosalie left the room.

_"She's right,Edward."_ Carlisle thought directly at me. I growled at him, this time bringing Bella's attention to me.

"What?" She questioned. She didn't look nearly as green as before, which was a very good thing.

"Nothing, my love. I just wish Emmett would hurry up." I rubbed the side of her neck with the wet cloth. She smiled at the action, her hand touching mine.

"Okay Bella, here's the deal: There's not much we can do about morning sickness. It usually goes away by the end of the first trimester, but until then I have some things that will help." Carlisle sat beside Bella, smiling at her reassuringly, trying to make her more comfortable. "First off, get lots of rest. Your body is growing a whole new life, it's a lot of work. Also, drink a lot of water. If you're getting ill dehydration does not help, it makes it much, much worse. Eat more, smaller, meals through out the day. Try to observe proper nutrition, junk food will just make it worse. Try to avoid fatty fried things and spicy foods. Now, that'll help keep some of it away but if you want manage it while it's happening, there are several things you can do. Ginger. Ginger tea, ginger candy, and ginger ale, but try to avoid drinking too much ginger ale. There is a lot of sugar in it. Peppermint also helps keep it at bay. Also, I'd suggest keeping crackers near you at all times. Just plain saltines. They'll help keep the nausea from getting too bad. I'd avoid hard candies and gums because they produce more saliva and will cause you to become more nauseous." He rambled on and on.

"Um, Dad? She's not going to remember all that, I'm pretty sure." I sat on the other side of Bella, who looked like a deer in headlights.

"Oh, yes I figured it was a little too much to take in at once. I have a sheet for her to take home. If it gets any worse or you feel any stomach pain at all, please come right away. It's better to be safe than sorry" Carlisle patted her hand before letting us have some privacy.

I pulled her onto my lap gently, being careful of her stomach. "Did you catch any of that?"

"All I heard was eat more, fried food, spicy food, and candy. I think I missed something." She snorted, leaning against me.

"How can you be hungry?" I questioned, raising at eyebrow at her. I could imagine bringing up your supper wouldn't have you rushing to get more. Just the idea of the stomach acid, and how like venom it was, made my own stomach churn.

"You heard Carlisle, I'm growing a life here. It's hard work." Bella smiled playfully. She was obviously feeling better.

Emmett finally walked in, carrying several very full sacks. Bella's mouth dropped open at the sight. She had seen my brother but never really talked to him. "Hey there, human girl."

"Hey there... vampire boy." She smirked at his greeting, rolling her eyes.

Emmett's laughter echoed from the room. _"I like her, she's spunky." _

"I'm Emmett, by the way. You've met my wife, Rosie." He smiled at her, being his normal charming self.

" Of course, I love Rose." She smiled back at him.

Emmett's smile grew. It wasn't very often that he heard someone liked his wife. He placed the bags that were in his massive arms onto Carlisle's desk. "Alright, I think I went overboard." He waved his hand over it.

I walked over and began to pull things out. There was many of the things that Carlisle mentioned in his speech earlier along with: a toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, and floss. Bella walked over slowly, a little unsteady.

"Gee, is it a Cullen thing to go over board?" Bella raised an eye brow at Emmett.

"Go big or go home." Emmett beamed. He wasn't trying to be charming but he still somehow managed it. I could be charming when I wanted to be, but he was so naturally and I had a feeling in his human life he was as well.

"Thanks, Emmett." Bella went to hug him but tripped over her own feet. Before she could reach the ground both me and my brother went to grab her. Emmett laughed as we helped her to her feet. He had a hand on her arm, while mine were wrapped around her waist.

"You're funny. Keep her around Edward." He patted my shoulder hard before walking out of the room.

"Thank you for thinking me hurting myself is funny!" Bella called after him, smirking the entire time. I could hear Emmett's laughter down the hall.

_"Edward, darling, bring Bella down. I have something for her to eat." _Esme's mind called to me sweetly. I could tell she was happy to use her best mothering skills on someone new. Not that the rest of us didn't like it. But, for some reason, Bella was different to her.

"Are you hungry?" I asked Bella. She nodded sheepishly, blushing slightly. "Good, Esme is about to feed you. I'm not sure you have a choice in the matter" I teased.

_"She has a choice!" _Esme chided me in her mind. I couldn't help but smile. I knew that Esme was messing with me, like I was doing to her. It was nice to have playful banter with my family, something I didn't have very often.

I led her downstairs to the unused dining room. There was a spread of food on the table, probably big enough for three people, at the very least. A large bowl of some sort of soup, a green salad, a fruit salad, and a large cup of milk. At least it was healthy. Bella broke away from me and rushed over to Esme.

"I love you, Esme! Thank you!" She broke away as quickly as rushed to her. She moved over to the table and grinned wildly.

" You're completely welcome." Esme smiled brightly. She was so happy. She felt like a real mother at the moment. Though, in my eyes, she was always a mother.

"Where did you get all this?" Bella asked as she stabbed a piece of lettuce. I never thought I'd feel sorry for vegetables, but Bella was quickly changing that.

"Emmett grabbed it while he was out. Alice saw that you were going to be hungry. And, there was nothing in the house." Esme sat beside Bella, handing her a napkin.

"THANK YOU EMMETT AND ALICE!" She spoke loudly after she swallowed a bit of soup.

"Welcome!" They called back down in unison from wherever they were. They were both very proud of themselves.

It was strange how Bella had almost instantly became part of my life and family. I loved it. She fit perfectly into our little lives. I wanted to have her in my universe for forever. She was the missing piece that seem to make everyone so happy.

"Bella, I wanted to talk to you about something else." Carlisle was suddenly at my side, surprising even me. I was too wrapped up my thoughts about Bella to realize that he was coming. He waited for Bella to nod before he sat down.

"I think it would be best if you go ahead and take summer school. From what I understand you do not need very many credits to finish. I could arrange it so you wouldn't have to take gym. You're due date is late November and it's most likely you'd simply have to repeat, you would miss too much school. And, you're simply too bright a girl for that to happen."

Bella's eyes searched for mine and for a second she looked panicked. I went to stand behind her,gently rubbing her thin shoulders. "Of course, I'd be going with you."

"You'd do that for me?" She looked up into my eyes, smiling a little bit.

"In a heart beat, so to speak." I smiled at her and she returned it, even bigger than the one before. I pressed my lips to her forehead.

"Alright. I think that's a good idea, but what about Charlie?" She questioned my father.

"I'll talk to him." Carlisle stated. He had no doubt in his mind that he could persuade Charlie into seeing it his way. I knew he was right. I knew that Charlie respected Carlisle, so that would make things much easier.

Bella nodded, continuing to eat. She smiled at both my parents, then blushed slightly at something randomly. I wish I knew what she was thinking, feeling frustrated that I didn't. "You are all so perfect. How can you stand to be around me?" She asked suddenly.

"Oh, dear! How could you say that?! I love having you here. I want you to come over more often." Esme said instantly, bringing Bella into a tight hug.

"In fact, she's planning on going grocery shopping to ensure it. She's going to guilt you with food." I chuckled softly, exposing Esme's plan. My mother smirked at me, raising an eyebrow.

"I sure am. See, now you have to come over! I want to learn how to cook." Esme rubbed Bella's tiny hand, giving her a playful little smile that was uniquely my mothers.

"You don't have to do that for me." She looked down into her lap, blushing.

"You're right. I don't have to. I want to. You're a part of my family now." She kissed Bella's forehead lightly before getting up. "Come, Carlisle. They were suppose to be having a date tonight." Esme winked at me before heading upstairs with my father, hand in hand.

"I love your mom." Bella smiled at me, nibbling on a piece of her fruit.

"She loves you, too. Everyone does, actually. I think they may like you more than me as a matter of fact." I teased her, picking her up and placing her on my lap. She was almost done with her dinner and it was almost nine o'clock. Sadly, we didn't have much time left together, like this anyway.

"You look so beautiful." I whispered in her ear, pushing the hair off the side of her neck.

"No, I don't" She blushed, looking away. I could smell the blood gathering in her cheeks, but it didn't bother me. It only reminded me of her beauty.

"I don't lie" I spoke in a firm voice. She turned her gaze back to mine, tilting her head to the side, as if to examine me.

"Thank you." She whispered, her hand running along my jaw. Bella had the lightest of touches, and it felt like heaven.

"For what?" I asked, floating in my own little world at her tender touching.

"Everything." Bella pressed her lips to my jaw, and then my cheek. She stood up slowly, making sure she had her balance. It was something I noticed that she did often, it was something very Bella like. "Now, I'm going to go brush my teeth. Can we sit in your room before I have to go home?"

"Of course. Would you like me to help you?" I asked her seriously.

She started to walk away from me, her hips swaying slightly. She looked over her shoulder, a sexy little smirk playing at her full lips. "No, thank you. I can manage to brush my teeth by myself."

"I meant help up the stairs, smart ass." I smirked at her. She giggled and blew me a kiss. I knew she was flirting with me, and I loved it.

When I was sure she'd gone up the stairs safely, I went to my room. I sat on my couch waiting for her. I closed my eyes and began to imagine the future. I was so unsure of so many things but Bella was always there in my thoughts and fantasies.

Husband and wife. Mother and Father. Vampire and human. Was it all possible at the same time? Would she want to? Rose was right, the moment she'd die so would I. But, I would make sure I joined her as quickly as possible. I could not and would not live without her.

"Edward..." She whispered my name at the doorway. She was bare foot, still in her lovely dress. She had pulled her hair back off her neck with some sort of clip though. It made her long column of a neck seem all that much longer, and more inviting. Not for my teeth, but for my lips.

"Yes, my love?" I opened my arms to her.

She sat slowly, she seemed nervous for some reason because she was biting her lip. Something else very Bella like. "What are you think about?"

"What my life would be like without you." I told her honestly.

"Easier?" She snorted.

"Lonelier, sadder, hopeless. I didn't realize I was missing something until I found you. Going without you now would be impossible." I stroked the side of her neck with my fingertips, feeling the throbbing of her blood underneath.

"I feel the exact same way." I watched as her hands went absently to her stomach. I knew she was thinking about the baby, but I didn't want to press her. She would talk about that when she was ready.

"I should get you home. You have a long day tomorrow." I kissed her lips lightly before picking her up. I swooped down to pick up the shoes she had discarded at my door.

"You know, you make me feel like a princess you carry me like this." She mused playfully, tugging at my hair a little.

"Good, because you deserve to be treated like royalty." I answered her, taking her to the car.

"Would that make you my prince charming?" She teased, a big smile on her lips.

"I consider myself more like the big bad wolf, but if that's what you wish." I captured her lips for a moment. "I will play any role you desire."

"Edward, if you're the big bad wolf then all the stories are lies." She closed her eyes, resting her head against my chest.

By this time we got to the Volvo. I placed her inside slowly, always careful of her stomach, putting the shoes at the floor board at her feet. I realized that I'd forgotten to retrieve the items Emmett had gotten for her. I turned to go back into the house but a flash of white plastic caught my eye. All the bags were already in the back seat.

"Thanks, Alice" I called, knowing automatically who would do this.

_"Anytime." _I could hear her smile in her head.

I sat down in the driver seat. I looked over at Bella to say something but stopped. She was asleep in the seat. " You may not think I'm the big bad wolf but you are for sure my sleeping beauty" I whispered. I brought the car to life slowly, trying my best not to wake the sleeping angel beside me.

**Hey guys, I'm here! I know, it's been forever. I'm sorry. If you want to know what's going on, go check out my profile. I don't want to write it out two dozen times or bore people who don't really care. But, just to let you know, I've gotten really ahead on this story so don't expect any delays for a while. If there are any, for any reason, I will let you know as soon as possible.**

**Also, just to let you know, this story's regular updates will be on Wednesdays and Sundays. If this is going to be changed in the future, I will let you know. This update is just my little gift for the new year. Regular updates will start next week. **

**If you haven't checked out my Christmas one shot yet, please do. It's happy lemonish fluff. And it's Carlisle and Esme. How often do you see that? It's called Breakfast in bed and eggnog. **

**So, did you like the chapter?**


	20. Chapter 20

Surprisingly, Bella woke up when we pulled into the driveway. Her eyes opened, her eyelids fluttered slightly as a small smile crept across her face. She stretched her arms over her head, letting them rest that for a moment. I couldn't help but lean over and kissed Bella fully on the lips. She hummed in pleasure, sending a heated vibration through my body. It made every part of my body tingle with pleasure.

"Charlie's starting to wonder, I better get you inside." I said after a few more minutes of heavy kissing. We were starting to fog up the windows a little bit with our mixture of odd temperatures.

"It's not ten yet." She said before kissing me again, hard. She was right. It was 9:55 and Charlie was getting very antsy. He'd been very worried about Bella all day. But, that all left my mind as her fingers tugged on my hair, her tongue softly sweeping over my bottom lip. It was my turn to moan.

After another minute of kissing she pulled away, much to my disappointment. She slipped on her shoes and got out of the car before I could fully recover myself. I quickly grabbed all of the bags and followed her up the stone walk way. Charlie opened the door before her fingers even reached for the knob, pulling it open rather dramatically I might add.

"Hi Daddy." She smiled brightly at Charlie. He looked confused as he took in her beautiful clothing and her happy expression.

"Hi, kiddo. Edward." He nodded at me. He took one of the bags from my hands and looked into it.

I followed Bella into the kitchen and set the things on the table. "What's all this?" Charlie pulled out a box of green ginger tea and peered at it as if it was an alien or something. You would have thought that he had never seen anything like it before.

"Bella's having a bit of morning sickness. Carlisle sent my brother to pick up some stuff that would make her feel better." I answered. He was surprised to see me talking so openly about her pregnancy. He wondered why it didn't scare me off, like a normal boy. If he only knew. I was no where near normal or even close to being a boy.

"Yes, Edward and Alice aren't the only ones that go overboard apparently." Bella teased lightly, her smile was bright and beautiful. It lit up my world. She was my world. "Esme even got me something to eat after I got sick. It was so nice. Soup, salad, fruit, and milk. It was perfect. I just wish I hadn't ruined everything before that." She said shyly, toeing the ground. There was a slight blush on her beautiful cheeks.

"For the last time, you didn't ruin it." I sighed, crossing my arms in front of my chest. "You didn't do it on purpose."

"What happened?" Charlie was curious, wondering what Bella could possibly do, besides fall down. I had to keep myself from laughing out loud at that thought.

"Well, Edward took me to a lovely restaurant and he even rented a private theater for us! Then I had to go and lose my lunch." She muttered the last part, blushing a brighter shade.

"Oh." He said softly, barely above a whisper. He couldn't stand people getting sick. He had a poor gag reflex. I wondered how that worked out with him being a police officer. "Are you okay now?" He finally asked.

"Yup, thanks to Carlisle, Edward, Esme, Emmett, and Alice." She laughed, practically naming my entire family, then turned her head towards me. "Where was Jasper tonight?"

"You know, I have no idea. I wouldn't be too surprised if Alice sent him out for something. That poor man might as well be a pack mule sometimes." I teased her as I began to unpack some of the stuff, placing it in the cabinets for her. I left the crackers out and handed them to her so she could leave them out on her nightstand. I also grabbed the sheet of paper that Carlisle made for Bella. Alice must have slipped it into the bags.

"He does it because he loves her. I can tell." She mused, her eyelashes batting slightly at the thought. She bit her lip, playing with the box of crackers. We both knew that this evening was coming to an end. This part of it anyway. Neither of us liked it.

"Edward, thank your family for me when you get home. For being so kind to Bella, I mean." Charlie was trying very hard to will me out of the room. He hated me and he didn't know why. I did, and the main reason wasn't because I was a vampire. It was because I could make Bella smile and happy when he could not.

Bella gave Charlie an exasperated look, rolling her eyes. She practically danced over to me, wrapping her arms around my neck. "I'll see you later."She whispered softly before she kissed my lips lightly. I held her waist in my hands, returning the gentle kiss. I leaned my forehead against hers, enjoying the heat she put off. It made me feel warm all over.

Charlie wanted to murder me but couldn't figure out a way to get away with it. I smiled as I kissed Bella's cheek. "Goodnight." I whispered into her ear.

"Goodnight, Chief Swan." I waved to him as I retreated to hide my car for the evening. As he stared at my back he wondered how mad Bella would be if he shot me right now. It was very hard not to laugh. I understood his protectiveness, and his hatred of me. But it would take more than a gun shot wound to keep me away from Bella.

That first Monday was actually easier then I expected it to be. No one bothered Bella. They did wonder and they were nervous though but no one said a thing. Though could have been afraid of me, who anyone could tell was her protector. Angela was worried almost to the point of tears and I felt so bad for her. She didn't know what she could do to make things easier for Bella, which was very sweet. Mike kept a safe distance at all times and never attempted to speak to her again. She scared him enough on her own, and didn't need my help for that.

Of course, Bella cried during therapy. She always did, and I'm not sure she'd ever stop. I hated siting in the waiting room. I wish there was a way for me to be there, but I knew if she was going to heal she needed this. But, the desire, no, the need, to protect her was so strong that it almost hurt.

That following Tuesday my Father visited Charlie at Isabella's house, explaining his ideas for Bella's schooling. He was actually all for it, until he heard I was also going to be attending. He was hoping that this would pull me apart from her. After much explaining, arguing, and assuring that I had planned to do this before Bella decided to join me, which was a total lie, Charlie agreed.

By the end of that week we were enrolled in the summer school program for the county. It was especially designed for students who either had failed or wanted to accelerate their education. Washington wanted to improve their graduation rate, and I couldn't blame them for it. Anything was worth a shot. It was only half days, with four classes. There were different course that you could select and we picked the same, so we'd have all classes together. English 4, Advanced Algebra, Chemistry, and Anatomy, which counted as our gym/health class. I was very grateful to my father for that. I hated holding myself back in gym. Bella simply hated gym in general.

For the next two weeks our routine was much the same. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I took Bella to therapy after school and then took her home so she could make dinner for Charlie. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays she stayed with me and my family. We hadn't venture out again, not yet.

Bella's morning sickness was not horrible, but it would seem to improve for a day then the next she'd be stuck in the bathroom on the floor. She was getting frustrated with it, not that I blamed her. I could not understand how she felt. It must have been uncomfortable. No man, human or vampire, could probably understand her discomfort.

Everyday the baby's heart beat grew louder and stronger. It urged me on, making me think about the future when I held her in the darkness of night. We had not discussed what she was doing to do about all this and I had not told her what I wanted. I felt selfish for even thinking it, really. I would wait until she brought the subject up.

A sunny day did come, on a Friday. Bella skipped class, staying with me all day. My father wrote her an excuse, of course. I still drove her to therapy, covered completely in sunglasses, a black hooded jacket and leather gloves. I hated waiting in the car worse than waiting in the office. At least I could hear what Bella was saying in the waiting room. Now, all I could hear was the constant buzz of voices in my head.

I waited in the dark parking garaging thinking, again. Marriage. It pressed on my chest. I wanted it. I wanted it so bad I could practically taste it on my tongue. I had waited a hundred years for the perfect girl, I didn't want to wait anymore. But, I was being selfish. I was brought out of my thoughts by a knock on my window.

"So, Clyde, when you going to knock down the liquor store?" Bella stood at my door, a hand on her blue jean covered hip. A smile played on her soft red lips. It appeared that she dried her tears before coming to find me. I opened the car door and pulled her into my lap, just happy to have her close to me again.

"Oh, are you saying I look like a criminal?" I teased.

"Sexiest criminal I've ever seen." She giggled, lifting the sunglasses from my face. She placed them on her own, raising an eyebrow. "How do I look?"

"Most beautiful hostage I've ever seen." I kissed her lips lightly.

"Hostage? Well, if you're Clyde, I'm Bonnie." She pouted playfully.

"Bella, you don't want to be like me." My mood suddenly darkened at her words. She wanted to be like me. That much was obvious. I didn't like even thinking about her being a vampire, even if it did seep into my mind every day.

"Your eyes are black." She whispered, touching my lips as she did. She ignored what I said before and lightly kissed them. "Hunt tonight." She said in a commanding tone.

It had been since Bella was in the hospital that I hunted, and my throat burned. I should have known better to let it go this far but I hated leaving her even for a second. I took the glasses off of her face and replaced them on my own. I slid her onto the seat next to me carefully. I started the car and flew out of the parking garage.

"Edward, I don't like the silence. Talk." She asked gently. It seemed like she was afraid I was going to blow. Maybe I would.

"I don't like when you talk about what I am and what I do so casually." I kept my eyes to the road as I spoke.

"I love what you are." She whispered.

"Bella, I've almost bitten you before. A few times actually. It's not that I want to, it's because the smell of your blood is so sweet to me. If I began to drink I would not stop and I would kill you. Do you want that?" I nearly growled the words.

"I want to be with you for the rest of time." She said in a soft tone. I knew she was playing with her finger tips, even if I wasn't looking at her. She always seemed to do it when she was nervous.

"Bella, I will love you until the day I die." I gripped the steering wheel harder. I saw my knuckles turn liquid paper white with strain. I would have to relax them if I didn't want to snap the steering wheel in half.

"Dammit, Edward!" she shouted, slamming her fist against the door, surprising me. "At least consider it an option."

"It's not." I stated shortly.

"I'll ask Alice or Rosalie." She snapped right back. "One of them would do it."

"They wouldn't dare." I hissed, my anger flaring.

"Rose would. She told me that night. When she told me about her boyfriend and his friends. She told me that she wouldn't wish it on anyone but that she understood why I wanted to be. She told me that she believed I was destined to be a vampire. Alice has said the same thing." She spoke calmly but her fingers were clutched against her palm, forming fists. Her knuckles were turning just as white as mine

"She shouldn't have told you that." I muttered, my foot pressing on the gas. I turned to her, "What about the baby? You won't have an abortion but you'd let me kill it, is that what you want?" I knew my words were harsh, but I wanted to make a point.

"I didn't say when I wanted to be changed." She ran her fingers over her stomach, her voice distant.

"Bella, I can't do that to you or this child." I said, feeling the sadness grow in my chest.

"Even if that's what I want?" she whispered. "I'm so weak. I want to be strong. I want to be strong like you, Edward. I want to be able to protect myself."

"I will always be there to protect you." I looked out the window.

"Oh, and what happens the next sunny day?"

"You'd rather hide like a criminal?" I snapped at her.

"As long as it was with you." She replied quickly. I could tell she was getting uncomfortable by the way she shifted in her seat. This stress was not good for her.

"Bella, I'm sorry. Where would you like to take you?" I looked at her from the corner of my eye.

"I want to go home, to your house with your family. My family." She whispered, gripping her stomach tightly.

"I'm sorry. I'm hurting you. I do not mean it. I just hurts me, too. Just the thought of it. The thought of hurting you in anyway." I reached and took her hand. It was soft and warm. I brought her fingers to my lips. "I love you."

"And, I love you." she sighed, closing her eyes. "I just want the rest of forever to prove it to you."

"I know you love me." I said as we stopped in front of my home.

"No, you don't." She stepped out of the car before I could reply back. Alice was waiting on the porch for her.

"Leave Edward." Alice commanded me.

"Excuse me?" I glared at her, daring her to continue with my voice.

"You're a jackass when you're hungry. If you don't feed you'll regret it." I saw a vision whirl in Alice's head. Bella and myself, fighting, her crying and me yelling. I didn't like it. "Me and Rose are going to take care of Bella for tonight. I've already called Charlie to let him know you'd be staying with me tonight." Alice wrapped an arm around Bella.

Alice was blocking her thoughts and it made me more angry. "What are you going to do?"

"None of your business." She stuck her tongue out at me.

"Like Hell it's not." I growled so low that Bella couldn't hear it.

_"We're going bra shopping, jackass. Her bra is too small and she's uncomfortable." _Even her thoughts snarled at me.

"Oh... " I felt completely embarrassed. I never imagined that would be a problem. She didn't appear visibly pregnant yet.

"Bella, it's okay if we go shopping tonight?" Alice smile brightly at Bella.

"Why don't you pick out stuff for me like you always do." Bella sighed. She hated shopping.

Alice leaned over and whispered into her ear. Bella turned red and she then looked at me. She bit her lip and nodded, looking back at Alice.

"As soon as we get Bella ready we're heading out. It'll be dark by the time we get there. You better say your goodbyes now." Alice turned to go back into the house. _"You better not make my little sister cry because I'll beat you up." _I'm not sure if she was joking or not but I wasn't going to take the chance. Alice and I rarely sparred, but even with her tiny size she was a scary foe.

I walked over to Bella, stopping a foot in front of her, from where she stood on the steps. "Forgive me." I begged of her.

"Always." Bella smiled brightly at me. She hopped into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist. I laughed in surprise, holding her close to me.

"Will you be okay tonight?" I questioned, nuzzling her neck. I breathed in her rich scent, taking it all in. It was so delicious.

"Yes. I think I will be. I'll have Alice and Rose. It'll be okay. Go with your brothers to hunt. I want you in a better mood." She played with my hair as she spoke.

Sometimes I hated her sudden mood changes, at other times they were blessings. "I'm sorry." I said again. She placed her hands on either side of my face, pulling me into a soft kiss. Her full lips lingered against mine, leaving their warmth behind.

"She told you what we have planned tonight? She asked, turning a light shade of pink. I could tell she already knew the answer to that.

"She did." I smiled, burying my face in her hair. "You should have told me you were getting uncomfortable."

"You want to go shop for bras with me?" She raised an eyebrow, turning a brighter shade of red.

I laughed, "Um, do you want the honest answer or the one I'd say if I were being a gentlemen right now?" The teenage boy in me was coming out and my thoughts were dirty.

She giggled, kissing my forehead. "Both." She teased.

"The gentlemanly response would be: yes, I always want you to be comfortable. Your happiness and comfort always come first. That is, of course, true. Just not the first thing that came to mind."

"And, what is the first thing that came to mind?" She pressed, a large smile on her lips.

"Only if I can see you in them." I laughed, burying my face deep into her neck. She giggled, playing with my hair.

"That can be arranged." She whispered into my ear. My stomach tightened with her husky words. To hear her talk like that to me... was beyond sensual. I had to stop myself from carrying her into the house.

Alice came back to the porch. A new vision swirled in her mind. Bella and I laying in each others arms, talking and smiling. I liked this one much better. Alice smiled at me slightly, then winked.

"Stop being a pervert, Edward. Besides Em and Jasper are just about ready to go." Alice tried to be serious. But, she was teasing me in her mind. I ignored her.

I swept Bella up in a passionate kiss, letting her heat linger against me. "I love you and I'll see you tonight."

"Love you, too." She whispered breathlessly before she kissed my lips again. I sat her back down to her feet carefully, making sure she was steady before I let go. Alice skipped over to her, taking her hand.

"We're going to have so much fun!" I heard her say in her sing song voice, then I heard Bella's comical groan. I smiled to myself. They were cute together. I could say that much.

I parked the Volvo in the garage. I saw that Emmett was already out in his jeep, waiting for Jasper and I. I slipped in beside him. He was happy to see me, especially in a decent mood. It had been a while since we had been just brothers together.

"Alright if I join?" I knew the answer already but I still had to ask. I didn't want to be impolite.

"Good to have you along brother." Emmett said with a great big smile. We touched fist. Jasper hopped into the back not a second later.

"Let's go before Alice decides I need to go shopping too." Jasper groaned, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What is it with girls and shopping?" Emmett inquired as he pulled out of the garage. If we were being perfectly honest, he liked to shop too. Just the things he shopped for were different. The girls liked to shop for shoes and he liked to shop for... well, toys.

"Bella hates shopping." I said with a smile, thinking on her comical act earlier.

"Lucky." Jasper sighed.

He was right, I was lucky. Extremely lucky.

**I'm sorry if there are some stupid mistakes in this. I'm tired and don't feel like editing it again. **

**So, Cranky Edward, uncomfortable Bella... What will come of it now?**


	21. Chapter 21

"So, Edward, has Esme told you about her surprise for Bella yet?" Emmett asked as he played with the radio. He was just trying to get to me, I could tell. He already knew the answer. Otherwise I would have said something about it already. He liked knowing things that I didn't.

"No, she hasn't actually." I sighed. I didn't like not knowing about things, that was true. It was bothersome and annoying to someone who was use to knowing everything.

"She's made a bedroom for Bella in the house. She's had all of us work on it. Seriously, you didn't know?" Jasper questioned, leaning into the front.

"No. I didn't." I nearly growled but decided to control my temper. It was only six o'clock but I was already feeling antsy.

"It was actually Rosie's idea." Emmett chimed in. He was proud of his wife. He was happy that she was thinking about someone other than herself.

"Why would Rose want a room in the house for her?" I questioned. Emmett and Jasper both became silent, trying to block their thoughts from me. "Tell me." I demanded.

"Alice told us about her vision." Jasper conceded after a moment. He didn't want to start a fight but he figured it was better to tell me now. I'd find out sooner or later. I always did.

"Which one?" I growled. I knew which one without either of them thinking of it.

"Edward, I like Bella. Everyone does. Please don't make this so hard." Emmett looked over at me as he pulled into a forest clearing. To him being a vampire wasn't such a bad thing. I could never understand that.

"I know you're mad. But, she's your mate. Your perfect match. You love her so much it makes my chest hurt. And, she feels the exact same way about you." Jasper hopped out of the jeep, landing gracefully on his feet.

"I love her, that's why I can't do it." I replied sourly, not getting out of the vehicle.

"You love the baby, too. Have you told her that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No." I growled. This was none of his business.

"Whoa now. Calm down there, Eddie. We just want you two to be happy. Do what's best for you two, well, three actually." Emmett said as he leaned against the car door.

"I'm going to ask her to marry me." I whispered. Jasper turned to me, a smile growing across his face. "But, I will not change her. Not now or after she has the child."

"She wants to keep the baby. Alice has seen her think over the possibilities." Jasper said, mulling over his words carefully. "But, she's worried. Extremely. I think she's afraid to tell you."

"Why would she be afraid to tell me that?" I finally exited the jeep. I gazed into the trees. I hated that she was afraid to tell me anything. I tried to make myself as open as possible to her. Was I giving her the impression that she couldn't?

"She's afraid of losing you." Emmett said. I caught the look that Jasper and Emmett flicked each other. I was getting very frustrated. I hated when they treated me like I was actually their little brother. Jasper may have been older but I was older than Emmett, and I was no fool. They both thought I was being stupid with this whole thing.

"You're all against me. " I muttered as I walked into the woods.

"The only one that's against you is yourself." Jasper yelled after me.

I stopped a few feet into the forest and turned, glaring at my brothers. "What did Alice see? Tell me exactly."

"She saw Bella as a vampire. You two were married." Jasper said slowly. He was blocking me again.

"I know that." I snapped, turning my back to them.

"She also saw the child." Jasper called to me. I didn't want to hear anymore. I blocked out their thoughts as best I could as I took off at full speed. I wanted to get this over with.

I dreaded feeding. It was another reminder of how I'd never be the man Bella would need. A reminder of how I was a monster. I'd never be the father to her children. We'd never grow old together. I'd never be exactly what she needed me to be. Human.

I killed the first things I came across, sucking them dry in a matter of seconds. I could feel the hot blood slide down my throat, cooling the burn. I'm not even sure of what they were. They were just bone and fur in my hands. I sat against a tree when I was done, closing my eyes, tossing the bodies to the side. Perhaps I should leave Bella now, leave to let her have a normal life. That way she could keep the baby or not. Whatever she wanted to do, but she could move on with her life. Mine would end but hers was worth so much more.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I grabbed it quickly and saw that it was Alice. Panicked rolled over my body, filling me with dread.

"Is everything okay?" I stammered into the phone, not even bothering with the pleasantries.

"Everything is fine, Edward." Alice hissed at me. I didn't understand her anger. What could she be angry with me about?

"Where's Bella?" I asked, wanting to hear her voice. I needed to hear for myself that she was alright.

"She is in the bathroom. Now, I don't have long but you listen to me and you listen to me good-" Alice growled into the phone, but then I heard it snatch from her hands.

"If you do that to her I swear to god, I will kill you myself, you coward!" Rose yelled into the phone, shocking me.

"Do what?" I barked at her. I did not like being yelled at by anyone. Least of all her.

"Leave her." Rose said in a sad voice. "She'll die if you do. Just like I'd die if Emmett left me. Do you want her to die, Edward?"

"Oh. Dammit." I sighed into the phone. Of course Alice would see what I was thinking. I leaned my head back against the tree and closed my eyes.

"Promise me you won't do it." Alice had apparently retrieved the phone. "Promise me you won't do something stupid and leave her!"

"I won't do it." I whispered, feeling the sadness wrap around me.

"I'll be watching." Alice said in a low threatening whisper. "Bella wants to talk to you." I heard the phone exchange hands again.

"Edward! Are you having a good time?" Bella's voice was sing song.

"Yes, my love. Are my sisters behaving themselves?" I tried to keep my voice light. I wasn't doing a very good job of it. I hoped the phone masked most of it.

"Oh, they want to buy me too many things. But, other than that, I'm actually have a good time." I could hear her smile in her sweet voice.

I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. She was okay at the moment. She was happy. Why was I acting like such a temperamental child? "I'm so glad you're having a good time. Let them buy you lots of stuff for me, okay?"

"Ugh, Alice is bouncing up and down now. I think she heard you." Bella sighed and I couldn't help but chuckle.

"Good. Let her spoil you. I know she enjoys it. Bells, I love you." I closed my eyes, thinking of her beautiful face.

"Oh Edward, I love you, too. Go eat something for me." She giggled.

"She's done enough eating on her own!" I heard Rosalie laughing in the back ground then a sharp smacking noise. I'm sure it was Alice who did the hitting.

"Tell Alice thank you. Bye, my love" I smiled slightly to myself.

She laughed, "Bye! I'll see you at home."

I waited to close the phone until the line was dead. Bella wasn't the only one that suffered mood swings. Happy, sad, nervous, scared, elated... all within a few minutes. I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride.

"You've never been this happy before, have you?" Jasper was leaning against a tree, appearing out of no where.

"No." I stated shortly, my eyes still closed.

"Don't ruin it for yourself." He said bluntly, saying exactly what was on his mind.

"Thanks for the support, brother." I snorted.

He sat beside me. "You know exactly what I mean. Don't ruin it by over thinking. Go with it."

"Thanks." I repeated. I looked up at the moon. It sparkled in the clear evening sky. The stars dotted the sky. It was beautiful. I wondered what Bella thought of it.

"Go hunt some more. Alice said they'd be home around nine, so we really don't have that much time." He pushed my shoulder as he stood before running off into the trees. I looked at my watch, two more hours.

I realized how dependent I was on Bella. She was my happiness and when I wasn't around her it was like the sun has been ripped from the sky. I needed to relax or I was going to make her unhappy. No, I couldn't leave her. It would kill me. If Bella was happy right this second then so am I. Her happiness is all that matters.

I hunted again, this time running through the wilderness before finding my prey. I enjoyed it, something I hadn't done in a very long time. Right at 8:45 I joined my brothers at the Jeep. They were already waiting for me.

"Enjoy dinner?" Emmett snickered, pointing to my chest.

I looked down at my shirt and groaned. I was covered in blood and dirt. I didn't want Bella to see this. I'd have to run and change before she'd notice. I climbed into the car. "Come on, hurry up!"

When we pulled up to the garage I pulled off the stained shirt. I threw it into the garbage can without even looking. I heard the immature cat calls of my brother. "Shut up." I snorted.

"Oh, but you're so sexy Eddie!" Emmett called. I could see he was trying to egg me into a fight. It had been ages since we had sparred and he was getting tired of fighting Jasper all the time. I was a different kind of challenge.

"Well, I do look better than you." I started to walk out towards the backyard.

"You wish!" He growled and started to run towards me. I smiled, know that the fight was on.

I didn't even realize when the girls got back. I was enjoying schooling Emmett on the finer points of having his ass handed to him. We're lucky that we're unbreakable because neither one of us would have been able to walk right now otherwise. Jasper egged both of us on as he stood on the sidelines. I could feel the false annoyance build in my skull until I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't really care anymore, I was enjoying myself. This is the first time since I met Bella that I've hung out with my brothers. I had missed them.

At ten o'clock I ran into the house. I was covered in dirt and grass, and my pants leg was torn. Esme raised an eyebrow at me, taking my appearance in. _"You better cleaned up, I'm going to show Bella her room tonight."_

"Yes ma'am." I called to her as I ran up the stairs. I stopped by Alice's door. I could hear them talking inside.

"How is that?" Rose asked.

"Oh, so much better." I could hear Bella's relief in her voice.

"That's a nice color on you." Alice chimed in.

"Well, it's going to be all covered up, so it doesn't really matter. But, I do like it." I heard Bella's footsteps against the floor, then the creaking of the bed. They must have been talking about her new bra collection I'm sure that Alice bought her.

"You're going to need new clothes soon." Alice stated. She was seeing Bella looking very rounded, but still lovely. Alice thought she was adorable.

"I have too many clothes." Bella muttered.

"There is no such thing." Rose and Alice said at the same time. Bella laughed softly at them.

"Honestly, you're not going to be able to wear your normal clothes through out the entire thing. Trust me, I know." Alice was trying to be light so not to upset Bella.

"I know." Bella mumbled. "Honestly, I need to find a prom dress. I said I would go with Edward. I'm not good at that sort of thing, if you couldn't tell."

"Can I confess something?" I heard Alice say as she danced over to her closet. "I saw that you were going and I knew you'd just love it. If not we can get you something else, of course."

"Oh Alice, it's amazing!" Bella sounded if she was about to cry.

_"Edward, it's a surprise. Stop listening and go take a shower. I can smell you in here." _Alice was laughing in her head. I groaned and ran up the stairs.

I took my time in the shower. I washed every inch of skin with slow small circles. I had so much to think about. I normally did but it had increased even more lately. Other thoughts pulsed through my head too. Like, Bella in nothing but a bra. I felt like a pervert but Bella was amazing in her clothes. What would she look like out of them? Only she brought this side out in me.

I dressed quickly in jeans and a plain gray tee shirt. I toweled by hair off, not bothering to brush it. I went down the stairs to sweep Bella away from the evil clutches of my peppy sisters. I'm sure she needed a break from them by now. I missed her anyway. As I walked down the stairs I stopped when I heard what they were talking about.

"Bella, have you thought about the baby yet?" Rosalie questioned. She was speaking softly but I could still hear her through the walls. I pressed my body against it.

"Yes and no. I don't know what to do." Bella said, her voice rather distant.

"Have you thought about keeping it?" Rosalie pressed.

"Yes." Bella's voice was soft. It was barely above a whisper.

"And?" Rose pressed again.

"I can't do that to Edward." Bella sounded near tears.

"It's not up to Edward. It's up to you. Do you want this baby?" I heard the bed creak as someone sat down. Most likely Rose.

"I'm just wondering if this will be the only good thing to come out of this situation. I mean, this child did nothing wrong. Doesn't it deserve a mother that loves it? I think I could be that, but I can't do it without help. I can't do it without Edward." I could hear the tears roll from her eyes as they splashed against her skin.

"Edward isn't going anywhere." Alice said with confidence. "Tell him."

"Do you guys want to be bogged down with a baby?" Bella sniffled.

"Aunt Alice, can't you see it! Oh, it'll be wonderful!" Alice laughed. Alice would be good with a baby. She never really thought of herself with a child but the idea now amused her. She thought it would be fun. And, she thought it would be fun to do all the shopping for the baby.

Bella laughed, her tears slowing slightly. She sighed, "I don't know."

"Well, you're a part of the family now. We're with you until the end." I heard Rose say. I could see that she truly meant it too. "No matter what you decide to do."

"Edward, it's not polite to eavesdrop." Esme came up from behind me, touching my shoulder.

"It's rather impossible not to." I stated honestly.

"Let's go give Bella her surprise." Esme said, beaming. She knocked on the door gently and Rosalie opened it a moment later. I noticed then that all the girls were dressed in the pajamas."If you girls don't mind I'd like to show you something."

"Your surprise!" Alice jumped up and down as she pulled Bella from the bed. Her hands wrapped around Bella's eyes, but not too tightly. Leading blind Bella up the stairs was an interesting and rather frustrating. I was never more than an inch from her. She tripped several times and I wanted to just pick her up but I knew my sister would have no part of it.

When we finally got to the room that shared the floor with me, I actually became nervous. I hadn't seen the room so I didn't know if Bella would like it. I hadn't even realized that my family had gathered behind us until Esme slowly opened the door. Alice removed her fingers from Bella's eyes with a little flair.

The room was amazing. It wasn't as large as mine, by any means, but it didn't matter to Bella, I'm sure. The walls were a lovely navy blue, but not overly dark. There was a cast iron bed covered in lush satin and silk bed linens, with pillows piled high. There were side drawers on either side of the queen sized bed with cast iron lamps on them. Everything matched perfectly. There were thick blue taffeta curtains hanging across the glass window to keep the light from coming in so Bella could sleep. Pictures of black and white roses in black frames dotted the walls. "Bella, this is for you." Esme touched her shoulder.

Bella dropped to the floor suddenly, tears flowing from her face. I knelt beside her quickly, holding her. "What's wrong?" Her heart was going a million miles an hour.

"I don't deserve you. Any of you." She sobbed as she placed her face in her hands.

"Oh, darling. Please don't cry." Esme rubbed her shoulders. "If there is anything you don't like we can change it. This is for you."

Bella cried harder. "No! It's perfect. I don't deserve it."

Much to my surprise, Jasper knelt beside Bella. He lifted her face to make her look at him. "Isabella, you deserve this place. You're a part of our family. You deserve to have your own space. Besides, I didn't drive three hours to go pick up pillows from Canada just so you'd cry."

"That's where you were that night." Bella said, out of the blue.

Jasper laughed. "The night you got sick. Yes."

"Thank you." She hugged Jasper tightly. He stiffened, trying to control himself. When Bella pulled away she smiled at him. He returned the smile. _"I'm proud of myself. It must be so hard for you." _

I nodded at him. I was proud of my brother as well. "Thank you. Everyone, I really mean it." I told them.

"You didn't know?" Bella looked at me with confused eyes.

"He hasn't been around enough to notice." Emmett laughed in the back ground.

I picked Bella up off the ground, setting her on her feet carefully. Alice grabbed her hand and led her to the closet. "Look! I bought you clothes!"

Bella groaned and rolled her eyes. " There is such a thing as too many clothes." She brought Alice into a hug. "But, thank you."

"I knew you'd love it!" Alice smiled brightly.

"Come on guys, let's give them some privacy." Rose called to my family as she dragged Emmett along. Alice skipped out, tugging Jasper behind her. My parents stood in the door way.

"You really are a part of the family." Carlisle smiled at her.

"I've never felt so loved as I do at this moment." Bella whispered. I knew she was trying not the cry again.

"You are loved." Esme smiled brightly at her. I knew she wished she could cry, too. "Have a goodnight."

"Good night mom, dad." I called to their retreating forms. I smiled to myself. I have never loved my family more. Bella was happy and so was I.

I turned to my beautiful girlfriend and scooped her up into my arms. I carried her to the bed and gently placed her in the center. She motioned for me to join her with a crook of her tiny finger.. I crawled beside her but slid down. I placed my head on her stomach, listening to the tiny heart beat.

Bella smiled down at me, playing with my hair, curling it around her fingers. "Edward, tell me about your family."

**I know some of you were asking about Edward getting a bed. This is the solution to that. Also, some of you have asked how far along she is. That will come up more often in chapters. **

**So, did you see my nod to New Moon? I always thought he was an utter ass for that. Oh well. Can't change it now. Well, maybe you can in fan fiction...**

**Also, me and my awesome buddies have a contest going on! I have two examples up. Blood Pops and The brides. The brides is dark, so beware! This a lemony contest and it is a ton of fun! If you want to know the rules, they are on my profile!**

**Emotional chapter, huh?**


	22. Chapter 22

"I honestly don't remember that much about them." I Informed her. " But, I can tell you facts, if that's what you want?" I touched her stomach, stroking it with my fingers absently. It felt firm beneath my finger tips.

"If you don't want to talk about them, we don't have to." She watched me with slight curiosity, only love in her large beautiful brown eyes.

"It doesn't bother me." I told her honestly. "Let's see. I was born in Chicago in 1901 to Edward and Elizabeth Masen. We were fairly wealthy for the time period. My father was a lawyer, and of course, my mother was a proper house wife. I had no other brothers or sisters. Carlisle says that I look like my mother. I can see her in his mind. I suppose I do, in a way. We had the same color hair and eyes. Honestly, nothing really happened in my child hood that I can remember. Not a lot anyway. The memories tend to fade with time."

"What color eyes did she have?" Bella asked softly as she twisted a lock of my hair in her tiny fingers.

"Green." I rested my chin right above her belly button, so I could look up at her.

"I bet you were a heart breaker." She teased softly, a large smile on her full red lips.

I chuckled, "I don't know. I never noticed girls, that much I remember. I wanted to be a soldier. So badly that it was all I could think about. The glory of being a soldier."

" A soldier?" She questioned, the surprise evident in her sing song voice.

"Yeah. World War One was on way and I decided I was going to join when I turned eighteen. The_ great _war." I rolled my eyes. "It never happened, as you can see." I played with her shirt, not looking at her as I spoke.

"You said your parents died of the flu?" She said, moving on.

"My father died first, not that I noticed. Then my mother. She got sick from taking care of me. I feel guilty for that now, honestly. I was so close to dying myself. Hours, if not minutes. If Carlisle had not bitten me I wouldn't have lasted the night, that's for sure. I've seen what I looked like in his mind. It scares me." I admitted. I was just a shaking mass of sweaty flesh. My eyes were wild and unseeing, my teeth clenched from the pain that was rocking my body.

She was silent for a few minutes, most likely giving me time with my thoughts. I listened to the soft popping noises of her stomach and the constant thumping of the dual heart beats, not really wanted to think on them. I had been with them for a century, I didn't want any more time with them. When I laid my cheek against the bare flesh of her midriff I could feel the rush of her blood through her veins. She smelled so sweet, her flesh soft with humanity.

"It's not fair." She said suddenly. Her skin heated underneath me and I could tell she was blushing. I wondered what made her so embarrassed.

"What is?" I looked up her, confused.

"This should be yours." She rubbed her fingers over her stomach. "This should be ten years from now. Five at the very least"

"You're right. It's not fair." I leaned down and kissed her stomach lightly. I didn't know what else to say. I laid my cheek back against her flesh. She went silent again.

"I'll always be here for you, Isabella" I assured her. She nodded her head slowly, still looking unsure. I crawled beside her, pulling her close to my body. She dragged her fingers over my arms, looking down at my chest and not at my eyes. I hated seeing her look so sad.

"Did you have fun shopping?" I decided it was time to change the subject. We could talk about this another day. It had already been a long one, and I'm sure she was tired. I was feeling the stress of it myself and I didn't even get tired.

Bella laughed softly, "Your sisters don't know when to quit."

"Sounds like my brothers." I chuckled. I loved seeing her smile again, to her hear laugh. I pressed my forehead to hers. Her eyelids were beginning to become heavy. I kissed her lips lightly.

"Sleep, my angels." I whispered into her ear. "I know you are sleepy."

"Angels?" She opened her eyes a little. She was nibbling on her bottom lip. I loved when she did that. So innocent and sensual at the same time. I doubt she even knew that. It simply came naturally to her.

"Yes. Angels." I placed my hand on the soft curve of her stomach, making sure she got the meaning of my words. She smiled slowly, pressing her lips against my neck lightly. She laid her head down on my shoulder, falling asleep instantly.

When I was sure she was completely asleep I moved her so she was laying on the bed. I moved away from her quietly, making sure not to wake her. She needed her rest and I had to speak to my family. I made my way down stairs. I could hear them, in several different parts of the house, doing their own thing. "Thank you." It was nearly a whisper, but they heard. Everyone surrounded me in a second.

"Does she like it?" Esme asked hopefully. _"I hope she does."_

"She loves it, as do I." I hugged my mother tightly. "It truly is a beautiful space."

I turned my eyes to my sister next who was standing right beside my mother. I hugged Rosalie tightly, much to her surprise, giving her a light kiss on the forehead. "What's all this for?" She asked, pulling back to look at me.

"For putting someone ahead of yourself." I hugged her again, a little looser this time.

"Ugh, I'm not that selfish, Edward. Really..." She groaned in my arms but I could hear her thoughts. _"I would want someone to treat me the same way if I were in her position." _I decided to release her. I knew this open affection with someone other than Emmett made her uncomfortable, so I did not call her out on her thoughts. She knew I heard them, and that's all that mattered.

"Jasper, you went to Canada for _pillows?" _I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Alice made me. I don't see what's wrong with pillows from the U.S." He shrugged, looking down at his sock covered feet.

"They didn't match! That's what's wrong with them." Alice punched his shoulder. I could tell by the way that he flinched that it wasn't a gentle punch either. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing at their little display.

Emmett decided it was time to put his two cents in. "Well, _I _wanted to put a flat screen TV in there but I was out voted. Apparently it's not classy. Talk to Bella about it, okay? I think she'd like it."

I laughed, "Okay, I will."

My family slowly began to return to what they were doing before after a few more words were exchanged. Carlisle remained in front of me. "How are you, my son?"

"Good, actually." I smiled at him. He brought an arm around my shoulder.

"So, you're going to purpose to her?" Carlisle asked, looking like the cat that ate the canary.

I would have blushed if I could. "Yes. There really are no secrets. Are there?"

"Not between Emmett's big mouth and Alice's visions and equally big mouth." He smiled at me. _"I just wanted to let you know that I think it's wonderful."_

I opened my mouth to say something else but then I heard rustling upstairs.

"Edward..." I heard Bella shout my name. I made a mad dash to her new room. Bella was asleep still, thrashing about the bed wildly. Tears were streaming down her red face. She was whispering my name over and over again, chanting it. I went to her side and scooped her into my arms.

"I'm here." I whispered into her ear softly. She began to wake slowly, her eyes opened slowly and she began to sob harder. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I rocked her back and forth. "It was just a bad dream. I am here, my love."

"It was so scary. It was just so real. I wish I didn't dream." She spoke into my chest, her finger tips gripping my shirt tightly.

"I wish I could." I whispered into her hair. She turned her face up to me, surprised.

"Why?"

"Because, I know I would dream of you." I kissed her forehead. She began to breath a little easier. Her body relaxed against mine.

She curled up closer to me, playing with my shirt. "Edward, can I tell you something and will you promise not to laugh?"

"Of course, my love. Anything." I said softly, willing to listen to her deepest, darkest, secrets if she wished to share them with them. I carefully placed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm hungry." She bit her lips, looking very sheepish. I couldn't help but chuckle. She frowned a little bit. I know I promised, but when she was so cute about it, it was hard not to laugh.

"Well then, lets feed the human then." I told her playfully. I got off the bed, going my full speed, and swung her over my shoulder without any preamble. I held her in place, one arm wrapped around the bend of her knee, so she wouldn't fall. I was careful of her stomach so not to hurt her in anyway. She dangled helplessly, the heat of her flushed face could be felt against my back. She shrieked and giggled, trying to kick her legs.

"If I get sick on you it's totally your fault." She laughed loudly. Bella surprised me, slapping me as hard as she could on my back side. I should have figured it was coming. I laughed as I ran down the stairs, not moving as fast as I could, but still faster than a human. I didn't want to make her ill.

My family looked at me as I passed. They thought that I looked like I was having fun, which surprised them. I wasn't really the 'fun' type, sadly. I shrugged, making Bella rise and fall slightly. She laughed again. "Put me down!" She shrieked at me.

"What's the magic words?" I smiled, tightening my grip. I was having fun. And, since she didn't seem too upset with it, I was going to go with it for as long as possible.

"I'm going to find a stake." Bella snorted at her words. I could tell she thought she was pretty funny.

"Nope, sorry those are not it. Try again." I was getting closer to the kitchen, moving a little slower as I did.

"Please! I love you. Put me down. Now!" She smacked me again, this time grabbing me afterwards, making me laugh harder. I slid her down to the floor, making sure she was steady. Her face was bright red, probably from all the blood that had just rushed to her face.

"That's better." I kissed her lightly on the forehead. I opened the fridge, peering inside. "What would you like to eat?"

"Um... food?" She peered into the fridge from beside me.

"That's helpful." I smirked. I let her take a look inside, leaning against the counter top.

She pulled out a large jar of pickles and a soda, kicking the door closed with her foot. She tried to open the jar but had no success. I took the jar from her and opened it with very little effort. The vinegar smell was horrid. "How do you eat..._ that_?"

She pulled a pickle out and took a big bite. She smiled at me. "It's really good."

I looked at her doubtfully. "If you say so."

"What? Dill pickles are wonderful!" She took another bite, her eye squinted at the sour taste. I laughed at her tiny little scrunched up nose.

"If you say so." I repeated.

Alice came waltzing in. She was getting bored with watching Jasper and Emmett play video games. Rose was busy with a fashion magazine. She was seeking entertainment from us. Bella was always entertaining in her eyes.

"Hey Bella. Ick... what are you eating?" She teased. Alice had heard the conversation earlier and wanted to egg Bella on.

"Come on. Leave me alone! At least I don't want ice cream with it." She sneered at us. Alice went to pat Bella on the shoulder, like a little kid, but stopped dead in her tracks.

A vision swirled through her head. It was amazing. I'd never seen anything like it before. Not for me anyway. A flash of future memories invaded my mind. They were filled with happiness and... pure joy. There was no other way to describe it. I couldn't believe I would be involved with them, if they really happened, that was.

Alice blinked her eyes over and over again, trying to refocus. A huge smile crossed her face. She was hopping in place with all the excitement that was buzzing through her. I wondered how Jasper handled her sometimes. She looked at me and then at Bella, asking permission with her eyes.

"What?" Bella forehead creased in confusion._ Always so observant_, I thought. Bella never missed anything. She looked at me. "What?" She repeated. She didn't like being left out of the loop, but I didn't want to upset her.

_"Can I tell her?"_ Alice begged in her mind. I shook my head. "_Why not?"_

"Later." I whispered. I turned back to Bella, who was returning the lid to the pickle jar. I took it from her and replaced it in the fridge. Anything to keep from looking at Alice's disappointed expression. She wanted to tell her so badly. Alice didn't like keeping things to herself, especially things she considered to be so pleasant.

"What's going on?" Bella asked, getting slightly annoyed. Her arms crossed over her chest, her foot tapping.

"My sister likes to meddle" I stated. Alice glared at me.

"It's not meddling!" Alice defended herself.

"It is and you know it." I tried very hard to keep my voice even, but I was getting a little angry. I didn't want to give Bella information she wasn't ready for.

"What's going to happen to me?" Bella's voice was soft and sad. She looked down at her feet, her arms still crossed.

"Oh, it's nothing like that." I hugged her, trying to reassure her.

"Let me tell her!" Alice said out loud. She was literally hopping from one foot to the other. I hoped she wasn't that hyper as a human.

"Tell me what?" Bella questioned Alice.

"No. What if she doesn't want to know?" I told Alice, stopping her before she could say something.

"What if she does?" Alice countered.

"Just tell me!" Bella shouted. We both looked at her surprised at her little outburst. Alice won, or so she thought, her smile victorious.

"Would you like to know the sex of the baby?"

**Little cliffy. Not a major one. But, a sweet one. **

**We've got a long way to go in this story! I hope you're still enjoying. I didn't make a ton of changes to this chapter. There will be a lot more in those to come. **


	23. Chapter 23

"The sex of the baby? Really? You can do that?" Bella seemed very calm about the whole thing. That worried me more than anything else.

"Yes, I can! Do you want to know?" Alice was beaming. She wanted to tell her first, before she told anyone else. I'm not sure how much longer she could hold it in. She already looked like she was ready to pop.

"I don't know." She said softly as she leaded against the counter top.

"Stop meddling." I nearly growled at Alice.

"No. It's okay, Edward. I'm not upset. I just don't know what to do." Bella took my hand, squeezing it gently. The heat relaxed my body, making me calm down a little. I don't know why I got so frustrated in the first place. Alice could do that to me sometimes, I just usually didn't have Bella to calm me down.

"Well, whatever you want to do, let me know. Emmett's about to lose the game." Alice left the kitchen, leaving us alone. She didn't want to provoke me any further and she wanted to give Bella time to make her decision. She saw that while we were fussing at each other Bella would decide nothing.

"Are you okay?" I hugged her gently, ignoring my sister's thoughts.

"I'm fine. I just don't know what to do." She nuzzled my neck, running her nose down the side gently. Her hot breath heated my skin, making it tingle. It felt like I was on fire. A very pleasant kind of fire.

"I just want to make sure you don't get upset. It's not good for you or the baby, love." I stroked her back as I spoke, taking in a deep breath.

"I'm worried if I know the sex I'll get attached." She stated calmly. I could tell she was trying not to let the emotion seep into her voice, but she did a poor job of hiding it.

"So, you've decided on adoption?" I didn't press too hard. This would change so many things. Though, I had to admit I was a little disappointed. She pulled back, looking up at me.

"No. I didn't say that. I haven't _not _decided to give it up to adoption." She played with her finger tips.

"Bella, what do you want to do?" I asked her gently. I took her tiny hands in mine, bringing one of them to my lips, kissing her soft palm lightly. She turned her face away, her eyes downcast as she blushed.

"I want to keep it." She whispered. Tears were beginning to fall from her beautiful brown eyes.

"Good." That's all I said. I didn't know what else to say. I swept her up in a soft kiss, letting my lips linger on her flesh. I held her tiny face in between my fingers, trying to show her all the love I felt for her. I stroked her temples with my thumbs, kissing her forehead.

"Good? What do you mean good?" Her eyebrows knitted together, her skin was slightly flushed from the kiss. She looked completely confused. Bella wasn't expecting me to say that.

"I meant it when I said angels. I care about both of you. I just want you to be happy." I ran my fingers through her hair. I kissed her again. I wanted to kiss her over and over again. "Whatever you decide to do is fine with me. But, if you want this baby then so do I."

"I don't want to disrupt your life any more than I already have." She tried to pull away from me but I wouldn't allow her.

"You're my life." I whispered.

"Edward, you shouldn't feel obligated to me." Tears were starting to fall heavier now. I was getting very frustrated. I wanted her to believe me and believe in herself.

"Bella. Stop it. I do the things I do for you out of love, not obligation. It hurts me that you even say that. I care so deeply about you. I_ love_ you. I want to spend the rest of time holding you. And, I will love this child simply because it's part of you." I rubbed my thumbs over her cheeks. She sniffled quickly, her eyes a little sad.

"I love you." She whispered, her eyes looking down as she spoke the words.

I brought my lips to hers again, kissing them tenderly. Her arms wrapped around my waist, leaning into me. I picked her up and placed her on the island in the center of the kitchen. She shifted her arms so they were around my neck and her legs were around my waist, holding me close to her.

"You're still going to love me when I get fat?" Bella teased, playing with my hair. I could tell she was trying to lighten the mood.

"You're not going to get fat. I've seen it. You've very beautiful." I kissed her neck lightly. "Not surprisingly. You'd be beautiful no matter what..."

"What do you mean you've seen it?" She questioned, leaning her head to the side, giving me better access to her flesh.

"I can see Alice's visions for the future. I can read them right out of her mind when she's having them." I wasn't really paying attention to what I was saying as I began to make a trail to her ear. She seem to like it, her skin becoming hotter under my lips.

"Then you know the sex of the baby?" She pulled back from me. Bella was biting her lip nervously.

"Yes." I admitted.

"Tell me." She whispered.

I took her face in my hands. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Tell me, Edward." She repeated firmly.

I leaned in slowly, letting my hands slide down to her slender shoulders. I brought my lips to her lightly once before pulling back. "What do you think about the color pink?"

"It's a girl?" Bella's eyes grew big with the words.

"Aw, I wanted to tell her!" Alice came bounding into the room. If I had waited any longer she would have been in here shouting it at the top of her lungs.

"It's a girl." Bella stated slowly, like she just couldn't quite understand the words. She leaned back on her palms. Her sparkling brown eyes were a million miles away.

Jasper came in behind Alice. He was rather annoyed with Alice's sudden departure. They were in the middle of something and she just rushed off, leaving him. Not that that was uncommon. He looked from me to Bella, raising an eyebrow. _"Why is she so happy?"_

Alice pushed me out of the way and hugged Bella. "It's a girl!" Alice giggled. Jasper's mouth formed an O. It didn't know what else to say, not that I really blamed him.

_"Are you happy?" _Jasper thought directly at me. He already knew the answer. I simply nodded. He smiled at me slightly. _"Don't over think it."_ I nodded again.

Alice pulled back from the hug. Her mind swirled again the vision returning but with more details this time. Mommy Bella and the small girl. Me in the hospital room holding the child. Then the child in a nursery in our home. Alice turned to me and jumped up, giving me a tight hug.

"What is that for!?" I cried, her arms squeezing me extremely tight. It actually almost hurt.

"You needed a hug, too!" She giggled at me. _"You're going to be a good daddy. Aunt Alice! I'm going to be Auntie Alice!" _Her mind sung.

I simply shook my head at her overly bright vision of the future. Alice shrugged lightly and released me. Bella was still in shock on the counter. She was chewing on her lip, thinking hard. "Bella, are you okay, love?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Her voice was far away, along with her eyes still. I went to move in front of her but Jasper grabbed my shoulder.

_"Wait a second." _

I turned and looked at him."What?"

_"She is in shock but not unhappy. Give her a minute. She's getting there." _He nodded his head toward Bella. One of her hands slid across her stomach. A small smile broke across her face.

"It's a girl." She stated finally, a bright smile crossing her lips. Alice clapped her hands together, jumping up and down. "You know, I never thought about having children. I always babied my mom. I had to take care of her. I have to take care of Charlie somewhat. And, then you guys come along and take care of me. I feel so loved and safe. I want to make this child feel the same way. If I can give it- her- a quarter of the love you give me then I know she will have a happy life."

"So, you're really going to keep the baby?" Alice squealed. Jasper and I flinched at the high pitched sound. Bella just laughed.

"I guess I am." Her face turned sad suddenly. "Am I crazy for doing this?"

I went to her side. "Not at all. It'll all work out in the end." The phrase came to my lips so easily. So many people had been saying it lately. Maybe it would all really work out.

Bella tried to stifle a yawn as she leaned against me but it didn't work. I looked at the clock. It was nearly one in the morning. I swept her up in my arms without a word and started to head towards the stairs. Alice was still planning away all the things she wanted to do for the baby in the kitchen. Jasper was simply trying to calm her down. _Poor man..._

"Edward, I'm fine. You know I can walk, right?" She whined.

"I don't like having you walk up these stairs for the same reason my father doesn't want you in gym class. You're dangerous." I told her honestly, if not a little bluntly.

She looked wounded for a moment then sighed. She nodded with a little smirk. Bella laid her head against my chest, closing her eyes, as I carried her. I took her to her bedroom and placed her gently on the center of the bed. I pulled the covers over her tiny body and laid beside my love.

She snuggled against me, her tiny fingers resting on my hips. A sweet smile rested on her lips as she fell into an almost instant deep sleep. The pregnancy was making her more tired, not that I blamed her. Her body was working so hard right now. I guess if was building an entire person in my body I'd be tired and cranky.

I watched Bella as she slept. I saw her once again as the Mother, like in the vision. Lovely and strong. Her age changed nothing on her love or the care she could provide. With her family it seemed like she had been practicing for it her entire life.

Alice kept seeing me as acting like the father. I knew I could love Bella and that I wanted to try but could I be a father? Could I put all selfish deeds aside and put all their needs and desires above my own?

I moved from the bed and went to my room. I knew exactly what I searched for. I knew exactly where it was. I went to the dresser and crouched. I pulled out the bottom drawer and removed the wooden jewelry box from inside. I opened it, surveying the dozens of glittering bobbles my mother had collected over the years. I went straight to the white satin box that was half hidden.

I pulled it out and set the wooden jewelry box back. I closed the drawer with my foot before sitting on the black leather couch. I flipped open the lid, examining what was hidden safely inside.

My mother's second engagement ring. She had thought she lost her first and my father bought her a new one while on a business trip to New York. I found the first one later, while I was clearing the house of all our things after I had become a vampire. I didn't remember many things about my childhood but I remember that day. My mother had be distraught for a week. When my father came home he bent on one knee and asked her to marry him, again. She cried. I was fourteen and thought it was all a bit silly. Now I understood it. If you love someone you'll do anything to make them happy.

I examined the Tiffany's ring between my fingertips. It was just about a carat, a single diamond set in a platinum ring. It was simple, yet beautiful. I tried to see myself proposing but the imagine just wouldn't come. I actually felt nervous for some reason.

I heard Bella whispering in her sleep, which brought me out of my day dream. I placed the ring back in the box and then into the top drawer of my dresser for later. I went back to bed with Bella, crawling beside her. She was talking mostly nonsense in her sleep but I caught the words ice and my name. I smiled at her. She was still amazingly innocent.

The next two weeks passed in a blur. Everything was speeding up. Bella was almost completely over her morning sickness by now, much to her extreme joy. I don't know if it was the fact that it went away or Bella knew how to control it better. Either way, I was also grateful.

Bella hadn't cried at therapy in a week, something else I was very grateful for. She was putting some distance between what happen and what was going to happen in the future. Slowly but surely she was healing.

School was a different matter entirely. Bella was extremely nervous about the whole thing. No one had found how about the pregnancy but she was worried that she would give it away. She trusted us not to, but herself she never would. The other students hardly noticed when she ran to the bathroom anymore, they all thought it was because of her 'emotional state', which some of it was honestly. We all stuck beside her whenever we could, trying to protect her.

The relief from Bella, Jasper said, was overwhelming the last day of school. I couldn't agree more. I was also excited about prom. Bella humored me, I know. I didn't mind that. I would make the night special for her though, since she had given me the honor of agreeing to go with me as my date. She deserved this moment in her life. Things would change after this.

The Saturday after the last day of school seem to crawl by. Alice and Rose had kidnap Bella early in the morning and took her to someplace I'd never hear either ones thoughts. They wanted this to be a surprise. I hate surprises. I was very much like Bella in that way.

For most of the afternoon I waited for Alice to return with my girlfriend, sitting in my tuxedo, watching my brothers squabble over a card game. Each was cheating and each caught the other, at least once. It was rather funny actually, because neither one was going to voice what they thought out loud. Both wanted me to intervene but I refused. It was the most interesting part of the day so far.

The second I heard the car in the driveway I ran to the door. Rose was standing there, sans Alice and Bella. "What did you do with my girlfriend?" I asked bluntly

Rose smiled devilishly. "You aren't going to be a real gentlemen and go pick her up from her house?"

"That's where you were the entire time?" I stated, annoyed. I kind of figured that they took her to a spa or a hotel, or something like that. Not back to her tiny little house.

"Yes! Now, I have to go get ready." She walked past me, swaying her hips. "Hey Jasper, Alice said she'd be home in a few minutes."

I retrieved the corsage I had bought for Bella. I went to the garage and started for the Volvo, but stopped suddenly. I looked at my little used Aston Martin. It just ached to be driven and this would be the perfect night for it. I didn't care if I blended in or not. It was a special night. I tossed the flowers to the passenger seat and climbed into my beautiful car. I headed towards her home as fast as I could, my foot pressed almost to the floor board. I turned up the radio, letting the noise blast through the early evening air. It was overcast but not raining. It would hold off until early morning, from what Alice said. It was the perfect weather for us.

I actually felt extremely nervous as I made my way to her door. I had never actually gone to prom with someone before. I knocked gently and Charlie opened it, of course. He eyed me with some curiosity then motioned for me to come in. He wasn't going to be even sarcastic tonight, much to my surprise. He didn't want to upset Bella on her special night. I stepped inside, playing with the plastic box in my hands.

Bella slowly made her way down the stairs, her tiny feet clicking against the wooden floor. She was being extremely careful, watching every step. She looked amazing in a charcoal black dress. It bodice was tight but fanned over her stomach and legs. The dress dragged the ground and I couldn't see her shoes, but I knew that they were flats. I was grateful Alice hadn't forced her into heels.

Bella's hair was done in perfect ringlets, pinned up in certain spots with tiny diamond clips spotting her hair. She was blushing a dark shade of red, visible even from underneath all the make up that Alice had forced her to wear. Her lips were a blood red, making them look even more kissable. I didn't even know that it was possible

"No women has ever looked so beautiful." I smiled to her, offering my hand to her.

I didn't even realize that Charlie was beside me. His thoughts were jumbled and a little sad. They were something along the lines of 'my baby is growing up.' though. "Bells, you look pretty." He said when he could finally talk without getting choked up.

"Thank you, Dad." She gave him a quick smile but returned her eyes quickly to me.

"You look great." She whispered, touching my cheek. Her fingers were trembling slightly.

I took her hand in mine and kissed it. I pulled the corsage from the box and placed it on her tiny wrist. I brought her hand to my lips again, kissing it gently.

"Let's go before my dad decides to take pictures." She whispered rather loudly. I knew she was just messing with him.

Charlie smirked . "Alice promised me she'd get pictures" He dismissed with the wave of a hand. He went back into the living room to return to baseball game. Bella rolled her eyes then motioned her hand towards the door with a slight smile.

I led her outside to the car. Her mouth dropped open and she turned to me with questioning eyes. "What's that?"

"My car." I smiled proudly.

"No, I'd remember this car." She placed her hand on her hip. "This is not your car."

"I don't get to drive it often." I opened the door for her. She slid in carefully, her hands holding her dress in spots so to make it easier to step in. "My family has a thing for cars, if you haven't noticed."

"I have." Bella said with a sigh. I couldn't help my smile as I watched her shake her head. I slid into the driver's seat, taking her hand into mine.

"Makes me feel like I'm in a Bond film." She muttered under her breath, making me chuckle.

"Well, you're more beautiful than any Bond babe I've ever seen." I replied playfully. I squeezed her hand and she blushed brightly.

"You're nuts, you know that?" She looked at me with one eyebrow raised.

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, you could have any woman on the face of this planet. And, you picked the damaged, knocked up, one. Good choice." She looked out the window, her face sad.

I slammed on the brakes, bringing us to a sudden stop on the side of the road. "Isabella Marie! Never doubt my choices. You've chosen me as much as I have you. You decided to choose a vampire. Do you regret your choice?"

"No, of course not." She turned to me. I could tell she was trying not to cry. Alice would kill her if she ruined her makeup.

"Good. Because, you're stuck with me." I leaned over and kissed her neck. She tilted her head to the side, giving me better access. I loved when she did that. She didn't know how much trust she showed in me when she did it.

"Dammit, why do you have to be so good at this?" She muttered, rubbing the back of my neck with her finger tips. I suckled on her flesh softly, letting her tug me closer until my nose was pressed against her neck.

"I'm not good at anything. I just want to show you I love you."

**Some of you remembered the sex of the baby, others didn't. But, there you go either way. We skipped ahead a little bit. That's going to happen sometimes in this story. Otherwise, it would be like 50 million chapters long lol. **

**So, I had a rogue idea last night. I have a ton of people ask me a lot of the same questions about my stories and my life. I was wondering if I started a newsletter of sorts, through email, would any of you guys subscribe to it? It would talk about current stories, upcoming stories, stories I beta, along with a little info on about what's going on in my life for those who are curious. Also, there would be stuff like story recommendations and reviewer of the week. Maybe even twilight fan art of the week! Just a thought. But, if you want to put your opinion out there about this, go to my profile and vote on my poll! **

**Also, the contest is still going on! Check it out!**


	24. Chapter 24

We sat in mostly silence for the rest of the ride. Of course, because Forks was so small we had prom in the gym. There wasn't much of a budget for this sort of thing and this was the best they could do. It was enough for me though. I pulled up and parked next to Emmett's jeep. Walking to the other side at a human pace, I helped Bella out of the car. All the guys in the parking lot were staring at my Bella, my car, or both. I smiled slightly. I liked having the most beautiful girl in school on my arm along with having the nicest car. It was a little cocky, but I couldn't care less.

Bella shuffled her feet to the entrance. She clutched my arm tightly, shaking slightly. "What's wrong?" I whispered. It almost seemed like she was about to have a panic attack.

"I'm worried about embarrassing myself." She whispered back quickly. I laughed and she frowned at me. I controlled my face quickly, pressing my lips together to keep from laughing any further.

"I won't let you fall." I informed her with a light kiss on the forehead.

"Oh, I'll find a way. I just know it." She muttered mainly to herself.

I led her to the dance floor after that. I expected an argument, but to my surprise I didn't get one. I was even more surprised that a song I knew and liked was playing. I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist and we began to sway to the music. I wanted to ease her into this. Bella closed her eyes and laid her head against my chest. I was completely shocked when Bella began to softly sing the words. I don't think she knew I could hear her, it was so light, the sound barely above a whisper. "Come with me my love, come with me to the sea of love. I want to tell you how much I love you. Do you remember when we meet? That's the day I knew you were mine. I want to tell you how much I love you..."

I leaned my face into her hair and kissed it lightly. I breathed in, letting her aroma surround me, drowning out the scent of all the hormonal males and females in the room. She slid her arms underneath my jacket, pressing her body tightly against mine. She was terribly warm and I could tell she was trying to cool down. Being packed into a small area with loads of people was not a comfortable environment for a pregnant women. The song changed and it rumbled through our bodies. It was much too loud with much too much bass. It wasn't exactly what I would call music.

"Edward, lets go outside for a bit." She muttered into my chest.

I quickly led her to the door without another word, getting a few odd looks from the fellow students. That wasn't so strange, honestly. When the doors shut behind us completely, I swept Bella into my arms. I took her to a bench across the courtyard, getting her as far away from the heated gym and loud music as possible. I set her gently on the bench and sat beside her.

"Thank you. It was just kind of too much." Bella rubbed the back of her neck, looking rather embarrassed. "Just give me a minute to get some fresh air."

I nodded. The building hummed with music, laughter, and squeals of delight. I smiled to myself when I knew Alice and Rose would be in the middle of the floor dancing. They always were. They lived for this kind of thing.

"You're awfully quiet." She commented.

"Just thinking." I said, smiling at her to show it was nothing bad.

"Promise to tell me later. Take me back in there." She stood, offering her hand to me, like she could actually help me up. I laughed at her pretend eagerness. I got up and swept her up in my arms again.

She laughed softly."What's with carrying me?"

"I like feeling you close to my body." I whispered. She blushed brightly, biting her bottom lip. I placed her down at the opening of the building. She pulled me inside, probably trying to hid her flushed appearance in the darkness.

The song was loud with a heavy beat, though it wasn't as bad as the last one. Bella made her way over to my sisters, who were dancing with each other. They smiled and pulled Bella into their little group. They were giggling, hugging, and dancing playfully. I wondered what my brothers thought of this. I searched the crowd for them, finding them almost instantly. They were pressed against the wall, watching with_ great_ interest. I decided to joined them.

"I love school dances." Emmett muttered under his breath. We all nodded in agreement, our eyes never leaving our dancing partner.

They weren't trying to do anything other than have a good time. I wonder if they understood what they did as they slithered and ground against each other. I knew Bella certainly didn't. I knew every guy in the place was thinking the same thing, including my brothers. Even as cool as I was, I was still getting slightly warm watching the whole display.

_"Edward, I agree with you completely." _Jasper rolled his eyes as he sensed my emotion.

The song changed and Bella motioned for me to join her. I came to her with a large smile."What?" She questioned as she saw me.

"You're lovely, that's all." I whispered into her ear. She smiled, wrapping her arms around me as the slow song flowed around us. "And, I'm the luckiest man here."

I don't know what the next song was. It could have been fast or slow, I didn't care. Bella and I swayed to our own beat. We were the only ones in the room, no one else mattered. Though no matter how I tried I could hear their thoughts.

_"How she'd get him?"_

_"Why is she with him?"_

_"They're both so strange."_

_"It's like no one exists." _

There were also some foul thoughts coming from a lot of the male population. I buried my face in her hair, trying to ignore them. I couldn't blame them. She looked like an angel in this dress. A very sensual and sexy angel, but an angel none the less.

Another song came on but we were pulled out of our comfortable universe by my sisters. They pulled Bella back into the middle of the dance floor with them, urging her to dance with them again. I decided to move back with my brothers. I leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath.

"Why are you so nervous?" Jasper looked at me with curiosity seeping into his caramel colored eyes.

I fiddled with the satin covered box in my pocket for a moment. I considered not telling him, but there would be no harm in it. I'm sure Alice already saw this and told him. I pulled the box out and showed him.

"Whoa, is that what I think it is?" Emmett eyed me, a slight smile on his face.

"What do you think it is?" I retorted.

"A ball and chain." He laughed. Jasper snorted, trying not to look at the women on the floor.

"You're an idiot." I groaned, trying to return the box back to my pocket. Jasper snatched it from my fingers.

"This is nice. Bella will like it." Jasper said as he examined it. He closed it again and handed it back to me.

"When did you start to see the future?" I teased.

"I just know how happy she is around you. Even if she acts like she hates it, she really does love getting things from you."

I examined the box, thinking about his words. I placed it back into my pocket and went over to my beautiful girlfriend. She smiled brightly when she saw I was coming closer to her. I swept her up into my arms, much to the annoyance of my sisters.

"Hey, we weren't done with her yet!" Rosalie pouted.

"We were having a good time. Bring her back soon." Alice stuck her tongue out at me. I laughed and returned the gesture. She giggled, knowing what I was about to do she gave me a little wink.

"Bella, my love, would you like to go on a walk?" I offered my arm to her.

She took it without a word and we moved towards the exit. The cool May breeze was refreshing compared to the heat of the packed gym, even to me. We walked our way across the courtyard again. Bella found the bench she was sitting on before. I sat beside her, taking her tiny hand in mine.

"Do you remember the first day we saw each other?" I peered at her from the corner of my eye, gauging her reaction.

"I thought you were going to punch me or something." She laughed, looking at our intertwined hands.

"I want to apologize for that. You smelled so wonderful, I wanted nothing more than to take you away into the woods and make you mine." I looked up into the sky.

"Where is this coming from?" She asked, scooting closer to me.

"I want to explain something." I answered slowly, thinking out my words before I spoke them.

"What is it, Edward?" Her eyes were large, doe like, and beautiful. It was hard not to lose my train of thought when I looked into them.

"Being around you has changed my life so much. If I had slipped that day, let the monster take over, I wouldn't have you in my arms right now. I wouldn't be able to kiss your lips. I wouldn't be happy." I stopped, considering what I was about to say. "The monster is still there but you keep it at bay. With everything I do I consider what would make you happy."

"You don't have to make me happy." She whispered, leaning her head on my shoulder.

"Yes, I do. Because, if I don't I want to die. Your tears make me want break down. You are my very reason for being. You are my life, Bella. Before you, I never knew happiness." She placed her fingers on my cheek, hushing my little rant.

"I love you." She kissed my lips lightly. I smiled against them, feeling their warmth engulfing me.

I pulled back slowly, looking into her eyes. "I don't want to ever live without you."

"You don't have to." She answered. I could tell she meant what she said completely.

"That's what I'm hoping." I slid down to the ground on one knee. She looked at me with shock and confusion. "Isabella Swan. I love you more than life it's self. It's worth nothing if I'm not with you." I pulled the box from my pocket. "Will you be my wife?"

"I.... I.... I...." She stammered, her skin flustered. "Edward... I..."

I opened the box and pulled out the ring. I slipped it onto her left hand and examined it in light. "It's beautiful. It suits you well, I think. Will you wear it?"

"Yes. On one condition." She bit her lip, looking anywhere but me and the ring.

"I just proposed to you and there is a condition?" I snorted. "What is it Bella?"

"Make me like you. Make me a vampire, too." She didn't look at me when she uttered the words. I stood up, completely taken back. I didn't expect that. I expected her to yell at me for her being too young or about divorce. But this?

"I can't do that." I stated sharply.

"Edward, listen to me. Hear me out." She pleaded.

"No. I can not do that to you!" I shouted.

"Edward. Listen!" She commanded but I ignored her.

"I thought you wanted to keep this child." I whispered. I turned away from her. I could not look at her at the moment.

"Let me explain first and then you can be mad if you want." She stood, touching my back. Even though it killed me, I pulled away from her.

"Bella, why do you pick the one thing I cannot do? You know I cannot." I crossed my arms in front of my chest. The silence was deafening behind me. "Can you ask Alice to take you home?"

I knew it was childish and petty. I felt that way though. I didn't really want to be away from her but I needed time to think. I already knew my sisters were surrounding Bella by the time I was half way to the car. I got in and pushed the car forward before my brothers could stop me.

I'm not sure how long I drove for. It could have been minutes or hours. The night was seeming to get darker and darker. I hated it. I hated how I felt.

I felt rejected.

But, she didn't really reject me. She did say yes. But, with a condition. Maybe that was worse.

I looked at the empty box I was still holding in my fingers. I didn't even realize it was there. I wonder if she was still wearing the ring. It looked perfect on her delicate warm hands.

I was being a child. It was only fair that I listen to her reasoning before I told her no. I should at least tell her that this did not end our relationship, unless she wished it. I hoped to god that she did not wish that.

I turned my car around and gunned it for Bella's house. I looked at the clock. It was ten o'clock at night, really not that late, but the lights were off. I went to her window, peering in. The window was closed and the room was empty. I couldn't hear the tale-tell dual heart beat.

I went back to the car and decided to go back to my home. Surely Alice would be home and know where Bella was.

The trip took less time than usual, which was saying something. I normally drove fast but this was insane. The jeep was in the garage and I parked beside it. I rushed into the house, going my full speed.

"Alice!" I cried out her name, even if I didn't have to. I could tell she knew I was here. I knew she was in the house and also I knew she was ignoring me. She was blocking her thoughts. The rest of my family was out it seemed, either hunting or something along those lines."Alice, please? I need to talk to you!" I pleaded.

"You are such an ass! You didn't have to leave her like that!" She yelled at me from the top of the stairs. She was still in her prom dress, hands on her hips. She was livid.

"How mad is she?" I said in a low whisper.

"She's amazingly calm actually. She expected you to react like that. I would have kicked your ass." She said, her chin jutting out slightly. My sister didn't like me very much right now, and her thoughts let me know that for sure. She was seeing red, literally.

"Where is she?" I asked softly, trying to keep the guilt that was crawling up my spine at bay. Alice was not helping.

"Oh, you care now?" She said sharply.

"Stop it. You know I do! I was just upset. I want to talk to her. Where is she?" I demanded. Alice closed herself off to me and went up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door behind her, rattling the house around her.

I growled and went up to my room to change. I would find her tonight but not in this tux. It made me feel worse.

I threw my jacket off and sat down for a moment. I pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers, closing my eyes. I yanked the black tie from my neck and threw it across the room. I cut off my breathing for a moment, hoping to cut off the over powering scent of Bella that always filled my room. It was all over the house now, but it was always the strongest in my room and hers. It made the guilt ten times worse. I didn't deserve to breath in the lovely scent while I was hurt her.

"Edward..."

**This is one of my favorite chapters. I'm not sure why. It has a little bit of everything, I guess. I hope you like it too. **

**The poll is still up if you want to check it out! And, don't forget about the contest! **


	25. Chapter 25

"Bella?" I stood up, shocked to see her in my room. I was shocked to see her at all. Why hadn't I noticed her here? Was I so wrapped up in my self that I didn't notice?

She was still in her beautiful prom dress. It looked as if she'd be crying a little, her eyes and cheeks slightly red. My heart ached and I felt like a bastard. "I'm so sorry."

She put her hand up and smiled slightly. It was an odd smile, coming from Bella at least. "Hold on, I have to do something first."

"What?" I looked at her, confused.

She took off her shoes and threw one of them at me. "This is for leaving me at prom." and then she threw the other, with more force. "And, this is for making me ride back home with Rose and Emmett making out, in the front seat I might add. Em was driving! Do you know how scary that is?"

I caught both shoes easily, one in each hand. I looked at the tiny leather things in my hands, realizing a little too late that she wanted those to hit me. I looked at her, surprised. There was a smirk to her lips and one hand on her hip, which was cocked to the side.

"Do you feel better?" I asked, nodding at the shoes.

"I'd felt better if at least one of them actually hit you." She muttered sarcastically.

"I can give them back and give you another chance." I tried not to smile.

She smiled slightly and walked up to me. "If I thought it would do any good I would say yes."

I laughed at her words softly and leaned down to kiss her forehead. She did not pull away but placed her hands on my cheeks, holding me in place. I tossed the shoes to the side quickly, my arms wrapping around her to hold her to my body.

"Will you listen to my reason and my ideas?" She whispered, her voice as light as a feather.

"Yes, but that does not mean I'll agree to them." I told her honestly. She nodded slowly.

She led me over to the couch, tugging me along with her left hand. That's when I noticed the ring was still on her third finger. I didn't know what to make of that.

"I do want to keep the baby." She started out with.

"That won't be possible if you become a vampire." I argued.

"Yes, it will be."

I sighed, feeling aggravated already. "You know what happens with newborns, don't you?" I asked, hoping that she didn't know the answer. I hadn't told her. I wasn't that lucky.

"They can't resist the smell of blood. I know. I've been told." She looked down at her hands. Of course she knew. Alice most likely told her.

"They what do you propose we do then?" I wanted to pull her into my lap and keep her quiet with my lips. I wanted to take away all this talk of making her a monster. But, I knew that wouldn't work.

"A year after the baby is born, if you change me, Carlisle and Esme would take temporary care of the baby. When I am able, I'll return. I can either stay will Alice, Rose, or you until I'm ready. And, I can stay in touch with videos, emails, pictures, or web cams. I know what I'm getting into, Edward." Her voice did not quiver or change. She had thought about this for a while now, I could tell.

"What about when you appear to be the same age as the child? And, I don't know if Esme and Carlisle would agree with that." I began to come up with different arguments in my head.

"When the child is old enough, we'd explain. " She said in almost a whisper, she was looking out the window. "We would have to do that anyway."

"And, Carlisle and Esme?"

"Have already agreed." If I weren't a vampire I wouldn't have heard her words. I didn't know what to say. I didn't know if I should be angry or betrayed. Or, proud. Proud of Bella for thinking this through so much.

"You'd be away for a year, if not more." I felt like I was fighting a losing battle. She had thought about this and if I chose not to change her, one of my other family members would. I didn't want that either.

"Videos, emails, web cams, pictures, and telephones. There are ways, Edward." She was completely stubborn. At that moment she was stronger than me. "It would be hard, but we'd be okay."

"And, if I don't agree to this?" I asked, even if I already knew the answer.

"I cannot live without you. I will find a way." Her brown eyes were glowing with determination. She slipped the ring off her finger and handed it to me. "I want you for the rest of time. I will settle for nothing less."

I played with the ring between my fingertips. I eyed it, thinking. Thinking of what I could do or say to change her mind. She knew exactly what I wanted and I knew what she wanted. We were at a cross roads. I had to be the one to make the decision now. She agreed to what I wanted, could I compromise and give her what she wanted?

Bella stood up slowly and made her way out of the room. She turned and gave me a sad smile. "I love you, Edward. I'm going to bed. You know where I am, if you want to talk."

When I heard her bedroom down shut I decided I needed to talk to Esme. I wasn't exactly sure what I was going to say to her though. I pulled the tiny silver phone from my pocket and hit her number on the speed dial. She answered on the second ring.

"Edward, Are you okay?" She sounded slightly panicked.

"I'm fine. I wanted to ask you about something." I stated calmly

"Bella's request?" She didn't seem to be surprised. She was expected it. I'm not surprised. Alice must have saw this coming and warned her.

"Yes. When did she speak to you about this?" I was trying to stay calm. I wasn't angry at anyone, just at what was happening. It would do me no good to yell at my mother.

"She talked to me last week. Why?" She was cautious with her words.

"I proposed and she said yes." I stated in a flat voice.

"Oh! That's wonderful!" She said excitedly.

I cut her off before she could finish her celebrating. "But, said on one condition."

"To be changed, I know." Her voice was thoughtful. "Do you not wish to spend the rest of history with her?" Esme questioned in a gentle voice.

"You know I do." I let out a heavy sigh, closing my eyes.

"Then at least consider it. She loves you as much as you love her. It may not be what you want but it might just be what she needs." Her voice was strong, but still loving. She was a true mother. She'd make a better grandmother.

"Thank you, Esme." I replied in a whisper.

"For what, my dear?" She sounded confused.

"For being so kind to both Bella and myself. I love you." I ran my fingers through my hair, thinking of what to do next.

"I love you, both of you. And, that baby." With that, she hung up the phone, leaving me with my thoughts.

I felt like I was closer to the answer now but fear pounded in my chest. I rubbed it hard, trying to think as I willed the pain away. It was coming so sluggish, the thoughts, they seemed to crawl in my head. I hated not knowing the solution instantly.

I decided to go down to my sister's room. I knew Bella was not very angry with me, but it didn't change the fact that Alice was. I needed to fix things with her.

Before I could knock on the door, I heard her high pitched voice. "You're being an ass. Stop it."

"Alice, come on. Let me talk to you, at least." I banged my head against the door. Damn pixie was giving me a headache.

"You left her at prom! I don't care how annoyed you were." She spoke to me through the door. "It was uncalled for."

"I was hurt. I needed to think. I was scared, you can understand that, can't you?" I begged.

"Of course I can. But, you love her. You know what the right thing to do is!" She slowly opened the door. "You know what the answer is, in your heart."

"I don't think it's the right thing overall, but it might be the right thing for Bella." I leaned against the door frame.

"I wish she would have hit you with a shoe." Alice muttered underneath her breath. "You think too much."

"So I've been told." I sighed heavily. "But, you're right. But, it's hard not to when other peoples thoughts are in your head all the time." I heaved myself off the door frame.

"Edward. Do you want to marry her?" She asked me seriously.

"Yes." I played with the ring in my pocket."Of course I do."

"Then why are you talking to me?" My sister asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Good question." I said as I turned to go back to Bella. She grabbed my arm quickly.

"You're going to need ice cream." She was said seriously.

"Ice cream? What the hell would I need ice cream for?" I looked at her, confused.

"You've got a pissed off pregnant girl up there." She nodded her head towards the stairs. "She'd like New York super fudge chunk from Ben and Jerry."

I laughed, raising an eyebrow to her. "How do you even know what that is?"

"She's been considering getting some for the past ten minutes" She shrugged lightly. I rolled my eyes and went to kitchen, leaving my sister. I pulled the ice cream from the freezer, along with a spoon. I ran as fast as I could up the stairs to Bella's room.

I knocked on the door and slowly opened it. Bella was laying on her side on the bed. She looked at me confused, surprised to see me here so soon. She wasn't asleep, or even trying to go to sleep. She was simply laying there, uncovered.

"I've come bearing gifts." I waved the ice cream in front of me. Bella smiled widely, patting the bed beside her.

I sat, opening the pint for her. She took the spoon from me and began to dig in without a single word to me. I knew I was the one that needed to start the conversation.

"I've considered what you said." I started with, though I didn't know where to go from there.

She nodded, looking thoughtful, though it didn't slowly her down with the ice cream. "And, what is your decision?"

"That I love you."

She rolled her eyes, sitting up. She crossed her legs at the ankles and straightened her back. "And, what does that mean exactly?"

"It can't just mean I love you?" I leaned back against the head board, mimicking her position.

"Right now? No. No, it can't." She put the lid back on the ice cream and set it to the side.

I leaned in and kissed her lips lightly. She tasted of chocolate and almonds. It was a lovely flavor on her lips and I wound my fingers at the back of her neck, bringing her closer to me. She leaned into the kiss, slowly moving to her knees, which was an effort since she was still wearing the prom dress. Our kiss deepened, slowly. Her mouth was as cold as mine for once and it gave me a glimpse into the future. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad.

I pulled back and retrieved the ring from my pocket. "Marry me."

"Yes," was all she said before she kissed me again. I slid the ring onto her finger without even looking. I held her to my body, enjoying the warmth she was putting off. Her mouth was still cool from the ice cream and from kissing me. I pulled gently at her hair, letting it fall from it's loose clasp. I massaged her scalp with my fingers and she hummed in pleasure. She slowly brought my bottom lip in between hers, sucking gently before moving away.

"Edward, does this mean you're going to change me?" Her eyes were glowing in the pale light of the room.

"Yes, but I do have a request. A condition of my own." I rubbed her back.

"What is it?"

"Two years." I began to kiss her neck lightly, hoping to distract her.

"If you're a teenager, then so am I. A year and a half." She countered. She was not being seduced by my kisses, though I could tell she was enjoying them by the way her skin flush.

"Twenty is nearly a teenager." I whispered into her ear seductively. She shuttered, closing her eyes.

"A year and a half and that's my final offer." She started firmly, pulling back slightly so I couldn't mess with her ear anymore. She sounded as if she was making a business deal. In a way she was.

I moved the strap of her gown off her shoulder and began to kiss the bare flesh there. "Fine." I muttered into her flesh. She giggled slightly, rubbing her fingers against the back of my neck.

"Is it that bad?" She asked, kissing the top of my head.

"Yes. But, I'm too selfish to live without you." I answered truthfully.

Slowly she leaned in, kissing my forehead. "You are the least selfish person I know."

I snorted and she looked annoyed. "I want to keep you all to myself for the rest of time."

"Good, because I want the same thing." She stated. She pushed me back against the headboard and turned. She grabbed the ice cream before laying against me. I couldn't help but chuckle at her. "What?" She asked, her nose in the air. She knew what I was laughing at.

"I think you like that ice cream more than me." I replied as I rubbed her shoulders.

"You have a lot in common." She teased. I ran my finger over the underside of the lid and smeared chocolate down her nose. She giggled, trying poorly to fake anger. She stuck her tongue out at me. "Don't waste perfectly good ice cream."

"Okay." I turned her face so that she was looking at me. I took her head between my fingers and ran my tongue along the ridge of her nose, where I had spread the ice cream. She scrunched up her eyes and her lips turned into the funniest little smile. Her skin flush pink.

"Ew..." She laughed, wiping her nose the palm of her hand. She then wiped her hand down my shirt.

I very calmly took the ice cream away from her, along with the spoon, and set it to the side. I then gently threw her down on to the bed and began to tickle her. She squealed, laughing hard. It was easy to pin her down in the dress, but she didn't actually struggle much. When there was a lull in the action I gazed down at her. She was biting her lip, breathing slightly hard. I leaned down and kissed her fully on the lips. Her arms wrapped around my neck, holding on tightly to me.

Alice bounded it at that exact moment. She was apparently moving faster than the speed of her mind because she left her thoughts in the other room. She didn't even knock. She was so utterly excited that she didn't care. A flurry of wedding things went through her head.

"Oh! It's going to be wonderful! You're going to be such a beautiful bride!" She cried.

"Al, we're in the middle of something here." I muttered, resting my face in the crook of her neck. Bella giggled, my breath tickling her flesh.

"Oh, Bella! We have so much to talk about!" Alice nearly pulled me off of Bella. It wasn't like we were doing anything wrong, simply kissing. I groaned at my own, very obvious, frustration and laid flat on the bed.

"Can't this wait until later?" I moaned.

Bella apparently disengaged herself from Alice's evil grasp and ran her fingers over my back. I looked up, seeing her smile down at me. "I can handle her. I'll be back in a little while." She leaned down and kissed my cheek.

I rolled over, watching her leave the room with my pixie like sister. I smiled at _my_ beautiful _Fiancée. _

**Le sigh, Edward and his drama queen ways at times. Oh, but how we love him still. Aren't you glad he agreed?**

**So, the results from my poll are in and it's a surprising yes! Who'd thought it. Anyway, if you want to receive my newsletter go to my profile to find out how you subscribe. **


	26. Chapter 26

We had a week before we had to start school again and I couldn't be more happy about this. All I wanted to do was be alone with Bella. Though it seems like I never get my wish. Everyone always seemed to be around and wanting our attention. Finally we gave up and went with it.

That first Monday we were sitting in my living room after Bella's therapy. I was playing video games with Jasper. Mortal Kombat, something we always got a kick out of. We both thought that the cheesy moves, that probably only vampires could do in the real world, and the massive amounts of fake blood were entertaining. Pretty much like normal young adults. Maybe it was just a guy thing but Alice and Bella were egging us both on.

"Oh, come on you can do better then that, Eddie!" Jasper cried, trying to bump into my shoulder. I moved foreward, making him flop back against the couch.

"Don't call... me... Eddie!" I cried slamming my fingers fast into the buttons. I had to be careful not to break anything. We had a bad habit of doing that. That's why we had a lot of extra controllers laying around.

Sub-zero flew into his character, Baraka, causing him spurt massive amounts of 3-D blood across the screen. The girls made noises of disgust. Jasper was getting extremely annoyed and he was spreading his feelings to me. I pushed him hard with my shoulder and he growled loudly. Alice was having fits of laughter. "You guys are so immature. Anyway, Frost is the best character, hands down!"

Bella snorted, "You just like her hair! I could just see it that color. Maybe you should do that for Halloween this year." She teased.

Alice stuck her tongue out and threw a pillow at Bella. Bella giggled and threw it back. It was nice to see her so carefree and happy.

I finally won, but just barely. Jasper sighed in defeat, putting the controller now. "Must you be so good at everything?" He asked sarcastically.

"Well, I'm just awesome like that." I laughed, a big cheesy smile on my face. I caught the pillow that Alice was chunking at Bella, in mid air. The girls had completely ignored our conversation. I threw the pillow back at her, try to thump my sister on the back of the head. She caught it with a smile but her face changed. Her eyes glazed over and her mind swirled.

A vision of Bella hugging a women flowed into Alice's mind. The woman was older but still lovely. Bella was crying but it was different. She really wasn't upset. Charlie came into the picture and he had a large smile on his face.

"I think you need to go talk to Charlie." Alice said after minute.

"What's wrong?" Bella shot up, her good mood instantly erased. I knew her father being a police officer was rather stressful on her even if it was just in a small town.

"Nothing is wrong. Just something is about to happen. I think it's suppose to be a surprise." I stood, taking Bella's hand before Alice could explain her vision. If they had wanted to tell her they would have done so by now.

I was surprised when Bella didn't ask too many questions. I was glad for that. I didn't know what I would say. I wasn't exactly sure of the scene I just saw. I just knew that it wasn't a bad thing.

When we arrived to her home Charlie's cruiser was there. He shouldn't have been home for a couple more hours. Bella didn't wait for me to open the door for her but made a dash for the house. I thought about telling her to be careful but I knew she wouldn't listen to me right now.

"Bella, everything is okay." I tried to comfort her, but she was ignoring me, just like I thought she would.

"Daddy?" She called as soon as she got inside.

"There you are! I was just about to call you." Charlie was beaming. He was very proud of himself for keeping this surprise to himself. He was just as bad as Bella at keeping things to himself.

"Bella?" I heard a woman call. She ran from the living room to the kitchen, grabbing up Bella. Bella seemed utterly in shock as she relaxed into the hug, wrapping her arms around the person as well.

"Mom? What are you doing here?" She pulled back, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm just worried about you with all that's been going on. My poor baby! When Charlie suggested I come visit before you started up school again, I jumped at the chance." She was holding her daughter by the arms, examining her like she'd find something visibly wrong with her. Like she could see Bella's emotional scars. She thought she looked happy and that surprised her. She never expected that.

"Momma, you didn't have to do that." Bella said honestly. Tears were starting to form in her large brown eyes.

"Yes, I did! I wanted to anyway! I miss my girl."

With these words the women started crying. It was hard to watch. I know Bella wasn't upset and it would have been selfish to intrude on their private moment. She needed to let all of her emotions out. After a few minutes and some hugging they broke apart, wiping their eyes.

Renee finally noticed me, eying me with curiosity. "And, who are you?"

"I'm Edward Cullen." I stuck my hand out to her. She took it, shaking it for only a brief moment. She thought I was handsome and that my hands were too cold. That I must have had poor circulation. It was hard not to laugh. She wasn't the first person in the world to think that.

"Oh, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Edward. I'm Renee." Her smile was bright and her eyes crinkled with the pleasure. She was just happy I was the one keeping Bella happy.

"How are you feeling, baby?" Renee wrapped a slender arm around Bella's shoulders, forgetting about me for the moment. She led her over to a kitchen chair so they could talk comfortably.

"Fine. I feel pretty good actually. The morning sickness is pretty much gone now since I'm almost out of my first trimester. If I could just keep the heart burn away I think I'd be perfect." Bella smiled slightly

"I'm sorry, that's something that isn't going to go away until after you give birth most likely." I kissed the top of her head and rubbed her shoulders. She shrugged, looking up at me. She looked truly happy.

"Oh, have you been around someone pregnant before?" Renee asked, innocently.

Dammit, I needed to keep my mouth shut sometimes. What was with this family and saying too much around them? Maybe it was just the women in it. "No, not that I remember anyway." I smiled brightly, holding it in place. A whole bunch of questions were forming in Renee's mind. I'm sure she would have thought of them without me saying anything but I had triggered it.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Renee sat down as Charlie and I did the same

"Yes. I have two natural siblings, one of each. I also have two adopted siblings." It was so rehearsed it simply came out. Just like everything about me I told humans. Only Bella and my family knew differently.

"Adopted?" Renee looked confused, like she had never heard the word before. Charlie finally decided it was his turn to talk.

"Yeah, Dr. Cullen and his wife adopted all five of you, right? Renee, you'd like Dr. Cullen. He's been nothing but a big help to Bella." He smiled at me, some of his anger for being with his daughter slightly dissolved.

"Yeah, Dad, but we know who you really love: Alice." Bella teased her father. You could tell she wasn't use to having all her family in one place at one time. It was very sweet and I felt like an alien in the center of it all. I wondered if I should leave, or stay. I didn't want to ask in front of her parents, so I decided to wait until we had a private moment. If we ever got one, that is.

"Well, okay I do. What can I say? She's a good girl." Charlie beamed at the thought of Alice. He really did like her, and Alice could say the same thing about him. They seem to have sort of understanding.

"How old are you, Edward?" Renee decided that her line of questioning was not over.

"Seventeen" I stated shortly. I wish I could have said a hundred and seven, simply to see their reactions. They probably would have just laughed and said, _"No. Really?_"

"Oh, When is your birthday?" Renee asked another question. I was starting to get a bit annoyed with it all but, I always did when people asked questions of me. I decided to show my annoyance at all since I wanted to make a good impression on Bella's mother.

"June twentieth" I smiled at her. I felt Bella's hand on my knee. I turned to her, seeing a curious expression on her face. I didn't understand the look. I wanted to ask her what it was all about but right now was not the right time.

"Not too far off then!" And with that Renee was done with me. "Hey, Charlie how about some dinner?"

They discussed several places, finally settling on a deli in town. Charlie and Renee decided to go in the cruiser while I drove Bella in my car. As soon as I sat down, I realized Bella was staring at me. "What, my love?"

"I didn't know when your birthday was. I'm a horrible girlfriend." She was nearly sobbing by the end of the sentence. I was sure it was just a build up of emotions from the day but it was still a bit hard to deal with.

"No, no, no. You're not. I don't talk about it much. Besides, I know if I even think about it, Alice will throw me some sort of party." I leaned over and kissed her cheek before throwing the car into reverse. We headed towards the sandwich shop in silence. I wasn't sure how Bella was feeling right now and I wish I could have read her mind. It bugged me not to know. I should have loved it, and most of the time I did. "Are you okay?"

"I just feel bad." She replied, looking at the window.

"What's the matter?" I asked, feeling slightly panicked. I was worried something was wrong with her or the baby.

"Like I said, I'm a bad girlfriend!"

"You are the world's most amazing, beautiful, sweet, kind, gentle girlfriend and I could go on... Trust me, I know a lot of adjectives. In several different languages." I said in a light tone, hoping to keep Bella from hopping over the emotional cliff.

It worked and she turned to smile at me. She took her hand in mine and brought it to her warm little mouth. Her lips gently brushed against my knuckles. I wish we could have continued but we arrived with her parents already waiting for us.

I opened the door for Bella, taking her hand to help her out of the car. I could hear her mother's thoughts behind me, wishing that her husband, Phil, would do that and that Charlie never did. I smiled to myself. At least one of her parents didn't hate me.

"What are you going to get, Edward?" Renee asked, trying to find out my my tastes. Apparently, she thought a man is what he eats. I couldn't tell her I'd like a mountain lion on rye with lettuce and tomato. Once again she would have thought I was joking.

"Nothing, thank you, ma'am." I said politely.

"Aw, it's okay. Get whatever you like. My treat!" Renee thought I was just trying to be nice and trying not to impose.

"Oh, Mom. He ate at the house before we came over. He has a fairly sensitive... _stomach_." Bella smiled sweetly at her mother, taking the attention off of me. "I think I'll have a turkey though. What are you getting?"

Once Renee and Charlie got into a discuss about bread, meat, and other random condiments I pulled Bella against me. I kissed her ear lobe lightly before whispering. "Have I told you how amazing you are?" I could feel her skin blush beneath my lips. I took in a deep breath, drinking in her delicious scent. I fight the urge to kiss her senseless right there. I was beginning to think I was turning into an actual teenager.

After everyone received their orders, we sat down at a small booth in the corner. I let my arm across the back of it, Bella sliding in beside me. I didn't honestly like watching people eat, even my own family for that matter, but I always made an exception for Bella. She leaned her head against my shoulder while nibbling on her bright orange chips.

Both parents weren't completely comfortable with this. Charlie more so than Renee. Renee actually thought I was a good guy. But, she was still a mother. Thankfully though, neither one said anything out loud.

Conversation didn't slow down much during eating. I think everyone was simply too excited about being together again. It was a rare occasion. They didn't feel like a real family but they liked to pretend, even if I was here.

Bella was just about done and started picking at her food. She crumbled the chips between her fingers, keeping them busy. Suddenly, I could hear a low thumping noise. I looked at Bella, confused for a moment. She didn't seem to have the hiccups. I'd actually never heard Bella have the hiccups. The sound was so soft though. A small smile grew on my face when I realized what it was.

"What?" Bella noticed my smile, cocking her head to the side.

"Nothing." I whispered, running a hand over her stomach. She smiled back at me, love glowing from her beautiful brown eyes. She understood it was something to do with the baby, something only I could hear, and left it alone.

Her father cleared his throat, getting our attention. I shifted uncomfortably, as did Bella. She slid a bit closer to me, her side pressed against mine.

"So, you two, tell me about this summer school thing!" Renee had either not noticed this exchanged or chose to ignore. Either way, she carried on.

I explained most of it, with Bella jumping in at parts. Apparently, they didn't have anything like that in Florida or Arizona but she thought it was a great idea. I realized during our conversation that Bella had been playing absently with the ring on her finger. I smiled to myself, taking her left hand into my right. That was a mistake.

"That's a lovely ring, Bella. Where did you get it from?" Renee was still munching on her fruit salad that she ordered. I hope that she swallowed completely, just in case Bella gave an honest answer. I didn't want to watch a human hack up a piece of citrus today.

"Edward." Bella stated simply. She straightened beside me, her heart rate increasing. I could tell she wanted this to be the end of this line of questioning. I wish I could have warned her that it wasn't.

"Oh, where did you get that from? It's very pretty and it looks quite pricey!" Renee smiled and Bella frowned at her tactlessness. I licked my bottom lip before answering, trying to hide my amusement at Bella's annoyance. Renee didn't mean any harm by it. It was just... her _way_.

"I wouldn't know how much it cost, it was my mothers." I smiled at her, trying to will her to shut up. I knew Bella wasn't ready for this yet. I knew she wanted to wait until she was eighteen, or at least done with our schooling.

"That's really something! Well, your mother had great taste. Bella, you should wear it on the other hand though. On that hand it looks like an engagement ring." Renee was a little antsy when she said this. She was hoping Bella wouldn't make the same mistake._ 'She couldn't be' _She thought.

"Well, that's probably a good thing." Bella lowered her head, making her hair fall in front of her face. Her security blanket.

"Excuse me?" Charlie's face was starting to turn purple.

"I said that's probably a good thing, Charlie. Because, it is." Bella looked up from her hair, her full lips pursed in slight anger. She was daring her parents to say anything. I wish I could have told her that was a bad thing. It's never a good idea to wave a red flag in front of a bull.

"Are you insane?! You've been together what? A month! After what happen to you Bella! Ugh! How could you be so stupid!?" Charlie started to raise his voice with every sentence. Bella's mother sat there, utterly still, in completely shock.

"She's not stupid." I stated firmly. I could take the yelling a lot easier then she could. I took a bold step into the line of fire. Nothing he could say to me could really bother me anyway.

"And, you! I trusted you with my daughter. You're_ seventeen_. You're not ready for marriage! And, what about that kid? Huh? You're not man enough to take care of Bella during this. She's going to need her family when she gives it up for adoption." He blasted at me. I opened my mouth to speak but Bella stood up, throwing her arms to her sides.

"First off, don't you dare yell at him. He's more of a man than you. He doesn't make an ass of himself in public. Second, I'm not giving the baby up!" She shrieked. The entire place turned to watch the entire exchange. I stood behind Bella, trying to sooth her. Her heart was racing.

She then turned very abruptly and headed towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going? I'm not done with you!" Charlie shouted at her back. I turned and began to follow her.

"Away from you. Sorry, Mom." She said with the wave of her hand. I heard a loud thump and some cursing behind us.

"Good work, Charles." Renee scoffed. She didn't like this either but she knew yelling was just going to make it worse. Bella never responded well to yelling as a child.

I took Bella into my arms once we were outside the door. Tears began to flow down her face little rivers. I picked her up and placed her on the hood. I hushed her heavy sobs, rubbing her back gingerly.

"That's not how I wanted it to go." She whimpered.

"I know. I'm sorry" I muttered. "But, I don't think it would have gone well no matter how you'd done it."

"I know. But, I've just ruined my mom's trip. At least they could of waited to be observant until the last day." she groaned, rubbing face.

"Bells." Renee came up behind us, alone.

"Mom, I'm sorry. I know you don't think this is a good idea. It's not like we're getting married next week." Bella began to rant but Renee put her hand up to stop her.

"Bella, I know I'm not going to change your mind. Just like your grandma couldn't change mine. I just want you to think about this." She turned to me. "You seem like a sweet boy, it's nothing against you. Charlie and Bella have both told me how good you've been to her. I'm very grateful for that."

"I just want Bella to be happy." I said, my arms still wrapped around Bella loosely.

"Good, then we have something in common." Renee was about to bring up something Bella was not going to like. She knew it but she thought maybe it was worth it to at least try. "Bella... the baby.... You're too young. It'll be so hard. I don't know if that's the right thing to do."

"Mom. I want to try. I want to at least try. I want to protect her. I want to love her, like she deserves. I may not have chosen this, but I can chose to keep her." Bella's face pressed against my chest. She was trying to sooth her breathing. It almost sounded like she had just ran a marathon, with the rapid breathing and the heart beat. She was emotionally exhausted.

"Bella, that's a noble choice, but it's hard. Trust me, I know." Renee leaned against the cruiser.

"Do you wish you gave me up?" Bella was about to cry again, her words stinging her lips as they past. She was visibly hurt.

"NO! No, that's not what I meant. I meant that it's hard to be a young mom. I know our lives are different. I got to pick the father and you didn't get that right. It'll be even harder." Renee was trying to pick her words carefully now. She felt if she pressed even farther, Bella would get up and leave. I think she knew her daughter very well.

"Yes, I do. I do get to pick. And, I pick Edward." Bella straightened her back and looked directly at her mother.

"It's not fair of you to ask that of him." Her mother said softly. She crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her upper arms.

"I want to be." My eyes didn't leave Bella's face. She met my gaze and smiled slightly.

She reached up and ran her fingers over my cheek. "I was hurt by the wrong people. Horrible human beings" She turned her eyes back to her mother. "But, I've found the right man now and I'm not going to let him go just because of what happened to me." Her eyes blazed with an passion that would have made my heart skip, if it were beating. I could see all the love and passion in her eyes. I smiled to myself.

This took Renee aback, leaving her speechless for a few minutes. She honestly believed her daughter. She was never one to go into things foolishly, or half heartedly. "There is nothing I can do to change your mind?" She asked, just to make sure.

"Nothing at all. I love Edward and I'm going to love this baby." Bella was visibly proud of what she had chosen. I couldn't help but feel happy about this.

"Then all I can do is say this: I hope to God it works out, but if it doesn't, I'm here for you. Always."

"From your lips to God's ears." I muttered under my breath. I must have said it louder than I thought because both Renee and Bella nodded. Renee pushed off the cruiser and hugged Bella tightly.

"Bella, I think we may want to get going." Charlie was starting to get very antsy. He was very angry and he didn't like how 'pleasant' it seemed. He wanted to rant and rave. He also wanted to shoot me. I didn't really blame him for that.

Renee got the message and looked into the diner. She heaved a heavy sigh. "Well, I'm staying at the Best Western. You can stay with me if you like."

"No, but thank you, Mom. I've already promised I'd stay with Alice." Bella was looking at her feet and I could tell she felt bad. She felt like she was abandoning her mother.

"That's fine! Come over tomorrow morning, we'll go shopping or something. Why don't you bring Alice?" Renee smiled brightly at the idea of shopping. Alice would love her.

"Okay. I love you, Renee." Bella smiled slightly, hugging her mother tightly.

"I love you too, Bells."

**Sorry for this being a little late and if there are any mistakes. It's been a long couple of days. Sorry. Anyway, newsletter info on my profile, and remember to check out the contest! There is still time. **


	27. Chapter 27

Bella sat in a complete, thoughtful, silence on our way home from the deli. Her lips pursed and relaxed as she thought of whatever she needed to do or say. I decided at this moment it was not a good idea to touch or bother her with my thoughts or words. She needed a little space. A lot had gone down in a short amount of time. She needed time to digest it all.

I pulled into the garage, parking beside Rosalie's BMW. Rosalie was underneath it in coveralls, covered in grease. Bella's eyes crinkled in confusion as she stepped out of the car. "Rose? What in the world are you doing?" Bella stood over her, bending over slightly, trying to see underneath the car.

"Oh, just time for an oil change! I do it for every car. Hey Edward, yours needs it next week. Want me to go ahead and take care of it tonight?" She was still underneath the car as she spoke. It was funny to see her bare feet hanging out from underneath the vehicle, with her perfectly painted pink toe nails wiggling. But, I was use to it. Bella obviously wasn't.

"Thanks Rose, that would be great." I called to her, leaning against the door of my car.

"I never pegged you for a grease monkey." Bella said with a slight smile.

"What can I say? I love my car! Anyway, how's your mom?" I heard a clinking noise underneath. Cars were one of the few things I could say I had no idea about. The idea of getting that dirty was not appealing to me. I was no neat freak, but I didn't want to invite the grime either.

"Uh... She's fine, I guess." Bella sighed, leaning against my car as well. Her hands crossed in front of her chest, holding her forearm.

Rose rolled out from underneath. She looked at Bella and stood up._ "What happened?" _She looked at me with a sad expression.

"We informed Renee and Charlie of our engagement." I stated simply.

"Oh, I see it didn't go well." Rosalie nodded. She threw the tool she had in her hand to side with a loud clank. Slowly she took off the coveralls, careful not to get oil all over herself. After that she quickly went to the sink in the corner of the garage, washing up completely. When she was done she came up to Bella, enveloping her into a deep hug. "Pleasing your parents is hard, isn't it?"

Bella nodded, leaning to the hug. Rosalie smoothed her hair. She lifted her eyes to me. "_Go in the house and get Alice and Esme for me, please. And, probably a box of tissues if you can find some."_

I nodded, leaving without a word. Alice had already seen this and was carrying a big box of bright baby blue tissues in her hands. "I'm know, I'm going. Esme is just getting Bella a blanket."

"She doesn't have a cold." I stated, smiling at my family's idea of illness.

"No, she has a heart ache. Trust me, she'll need this." She patted my shoulder and danced off to the garage. I had a strong feeling I was not invited back into circle. Bella needed female support, not the source of all the problems.

I went into my room, plopping down on the couch. I grabbed my I-pod and placed the buds into my ears. The conversation in the garage was nearly inaudible and this would make it impossible to hear. I turned the music up, blasting it loudly. I could still hear my family's thoughts, but I could block them easily.

I clicked onto Bella's play list. The one that I made for her when I couldn't be around her. It was a short list, but it was growing with everyday. Elvis starting singing softly. I closed my eyes, letting the music relax my tense body.

I'm not sure how long I'd been in my room alone. The list changed from Bella's to the one I liked to listen to when I was upset. I hadn't listen to it lately so I didn't change it. Incubus' _Pardon Me_ echoed through my ears.

Guilt was starting to build in the pit of my stomach. I had ruined Bella's relationship with her parents. They were angry and I'm sure Charlie wouldn't let me into the house anytime soon. This would upset Bella, of course. I felt even worse for that. I stopped breathing, letting it burn my throat and nose. I was annoyed with myself for not being down there for Bella right now, more so for the fact that I didn't know if she wanted me there or not.

The song change, _Cold_ by static-x. I was surprised when I didn't hear her come in. More so that she slid into my lap, straddling my waist. Bella's warm fingers brushed my cheeks. I opened my eyes, slowly taking in her beauty. Her face was dry of tears but her eyelashes were still slightly matted. I smiled, turning my lips to the palms of her hands. I couldn't help but smile at her when I saw her.

I was going to pull out my earphones but Bella leaned in and kissed me before I had a chance to. Her lips began to explore mine, soft but needy. Her fingers tangled with my hair. I started to breath again, letting her scent fill my mouth. The vampire in me should have gone mad, but it was the man in me that responded. I pulled her closer to me.

She lowered her head to my neck and began to kiss there. Her lips made a trail to my ear, heating my skin. She slowly pulled out one of the buds and kissed my ear, tugging on my earlobe gently. She pulled back slightly, a slight smirk on her face. She placed the bud into her ear, listening to the song. The song changed again, this time to Korn.

She leaned down again, the tiny piece of plastic still in her ear. She continued to kiss me, her hands resting my chest. Her heart beat thumped against me wildly. I pressed my hand against her back, resting just underneath her pale pink shirt.

This was unique, to say the least. We kissed with the beat, increasing when it did. She was trying to catch her breath every chance she got, but she never really pulled away or slowed down her sweet movements. She felt so warm above me. I felt like I was on fire.

I went to her neck, kissing downwards towards her collarbone. The song changed again. _Wait and Bleed_ by slipknot, a much harder song than before. I began to spread my cold kisses across the exposed part of the chest. Bella's head lulled back and she moaned softly. Her hand rested on the back of my head. "Keep going." She breathed.

This pulled me out of what I was doing. I pulled away and took a deep breath, closing my eyes. "We need to stop before we do something you regret."

"I won't regret anything."

"You got in a fight with your parents tonight. Your relationship with them will probably never be the same. You're upset. I want to make you feel better but this is not the way." I sighed, laying my head on her chest.

"I won't regret anything." She repeated. I looked up at her. She looked completely convinced of this fact. I knew better.

"By God, why are you so tempting?" I muttered. She was so soft and warm.

"I don't feel that way." She sighed, looking away.

I took a deep breath, dragging my fingers from her knee up the outside of her thighs. Her hips had become slightly wider and it made her curves even more amazing. Her jeans gripped her body tightly and I wondered if she was uncomfortable. But, it was good for me, because I could see every delicious inch of her flesh that was clenched in the fabric "You are." I looked into her eyes, willing her to believe me.

I pulled the ear buds from us and set the I-pod to the side after turning it off. I picked her up, her legs wrapping around my waist. I carried Bella to her bedroom and set her on the edge of the bed. "I'll let you get changed." I started towards the door.

"You don't have to leave." She whispered. I turned and saw that her face was flushed.

"Bella, you are tempting with clothes on, what would I do if they were off?"

Her face blushed brighter. Her nibbled gently on her lip. I left before she could answer. I was afraid if she did I would stay. I went down stairs and found Jasper and Carlisle playing chess.

"Jesus, Eddie. Need a cold shower?" Jasper eyed me with some amusement.

Carlisle raised an eyebrow then looked up the stairs. _"Bella?" _

"Shut up, both of you." I slid down into a chair, feeling frustrated in more than one way.

"I didn't say a word." Carlisle smiled ruefully.

"You were thinking it." I closed my eyes, trying to relax somewhat. It was not working.

"There is no shame in that." Carlisle said, turning his eyes back to his game pieces. _"There is no shame in wanting the person you love. Especially someone as lovely as Bella."_

"There is. Trust me, there is." I took in a deep breath.

"It's natural to want to be with her." Jasper added, moving his knight.

"I don't want to hurt her. She's not ready, I'm not ready." I think I was trying to convince myself more than them.

Carlisle nodded, "It's understandable. A lot has happened lately."

"Well, you're making things harder for me." Jasper smirked. I could feel his brotherly affection roll towards me, showing me that he was kidding.

"I'm sorry." I heaved myself out of the chair. "Enjoy your game."

"I was just joking!" He called me as I walked back up the stairs.

"I know. It's fine." I waved them off. I needed to be with Bella now.

Bella was already laying in bed by the time I got there. She had a tough day and I'm pretty sure she was going to have a rough week. She needed all the rest she could get. I went to my bedroom and slipped on the pajamas that I wore to simply be comfortable. I went back to the bedroom with Bella, sliding in carefully behind her. She pressed against me, snuggling closer.

"Why don't you want to make love to me?" She whispered out of no where.

I nearly roared in frustration. "Dammit, we've talked about this. Several times. You know I do! How could I not!"

She didn't answer but looked away. I hated this. I knew it was just because she had no confidence right now. I couldn't blame her for that. I didn't know what to do. It was so frustrating. I wish that night in Port Angeles never happened. Maybe she wouldn't be feeling this way right now.

"What do you want me to do?" I demanded.

"Touch me!" She was nearly in tears as she shot that back to me.

"That's not what I meant!" I sat up, sitting so I was kneeling in front of her.

"That's what I want!" She crossed her arms, tears streaming down her face.

More tears, always more tears. I hated those damn tears and I hated them more because I caused them. I hated myself because of them. That was it, I couldn't take anymore.

I pulled her to me, rather roughly, but gently enough not to hurt her. I was savage as I kissed her heated mouth. I let her tears flow against my skin. Her fingers tore at my shirt, trying to find purchase. I pulled away when she was completely breathless. I was panting slightly myself, but not because of lack of breath, but desire.

"I'm willing to wait for what I want. Can you say the same thing?"

She looked into my eyes, a light bit layer of sweat spread across her skin. Her lips were slightly swollen and red. "Honestly, no."

"I promise I'll make it worth the wait." I said seductively.

"I have no doubt." She said as she fell back against the bed. She placed a hand on her forehead, still breathing hard. Then she started to giggle.

"What?" I was so confused. This was not what I expected.

"You're an evil teasing bastard." She laughed a little harder and I laughed myself.

"I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I'm teasing myself as much as I'm teasing you." I smiled at her, laying down beside her.

She laid her head on my chest and it didn't take long for her to fall asleep. I was so very frustrated in so many ways, I wish I could go to sleep and forget. It would make things easier. Or maybe I needed to take a dip in a frozen lake. I'm not sure anything could have helped that, at that moment.

In the morning Alice and Rose roused Bella out of bed. Alice was carrying a box of donuts and some milk. Bella simply groaned when she got out of bed. She waved at me with a small sad grin on her face.

"You'll have a good time, don't worry Bella!" Alice rubbed her shoulder. She shot me another look, like she was pleading with me. I simply shrugged. I couldn't help her with this one.

The day went by slowly._ Extremely slow._ I went hunting, alone. I needed some private time. The rain was falling from the sky in heavy sheets. It was refreshing. I let it flow over me, washing away some of my thoughts.

I arrived back at the house around three. After I took a shower I start to wondered how much longer they would be and when they'd return. I flipped my phone open and dialed Alice's number. I knew who was in charge of that party.

"Head mistress of all that is evil and pink, how may I help you?" I could hear her smirking from there.

"Well, your majesty, I was just checking up on Bella. Is she alright?" I tried to keep my amusement in check. I didn't want to egg her on any further.

"She's fine! We're at the Target in Seattle right now. We're going to have a BBQ tomorrow!" I could tell she was bouncing up and down. I wondered what Renee thought about this. Alice was a lot for anyone to handle, especially in the beginning.

"May I talk to her?" I rolled my eyes at her antics.

"Fine, fine, fine. Here you go." She sighed.

"Hostage to the head mistress speaking." Bella laughed

I couldn't hold in my laughter as I spoke. "How are you, beautiful?"

"I'm pretty good. My feet hurt. Seriously, who needs to do this much shopping?" She sighed. I hoped they were giving her plenty of rest breaks. She didn't seem to be doing too badly so I wasn't going to bring it up. I didn't want her to think I was babying her. I'm sure her mother and Alice were doing enough of that by themselves. They didn't need my help.

"How is your mother?" I asked. I hoped she understood what I was asking. I didn't want to say anything just in case she was standing right there.

"She's okay. She hasn't said anything about it. She's actually in the baby things right now. It kind of scares me." She tried to say it lightly but it didn't work very well.

"Do you need me to come up?"

"No. We're almost done. I'll be home in a couple of hours." She said quickly. I knew she didn't want me to worry about her. That was impossible.

"Do you know how your father is?" I questioned gently. I didn't want to upset her.

"He's mad as hell. He can be mad. I don't care. My mom's heading this way so I'm going to let you go. I love you!" She said in a rushed tone.

"I love you, too." I said with a slight smile. I closed the phone and put into my pocket after we said our goodbyes.

I went down stairs to inform my family of Alice's apparent plans. Esme couldn't have been more thrilled, nor Emmett. They both loved parties and didn't think we had enough of them.

"Are we inviting Charlie?" Carlisle asked as he read the newspaper. He lowered it a little bit, looking at me.

"That's up to Bella." I replied.

"I think it's a good idea if we do." He looked up at me. _"It's not healthy for her to be caught up in so much conflict."_

"I know." I nodded. "It's still up to Bella."

**Happy superbowl Sunday! Unless someone randomly invites me over to eat wings and pizza, lol I won't be watching it. But, I do hope you enjoy the day! The commercials are fun. **

**So, contest is still going on. And we even have a group story on there. There is going to be a one shot from each of the member, including our newest honorary smutketeer, Muggleinlove. The first entry is by ObessingoverEdward. By the way, the one shots are based around the The Three musketeers. Yeah, we know we're dorks, but it's fun! Check it out on the C2!**

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	28. Chapter 28

By the time Bella and my siblings had arrived back Esme had already made Bella something to eat. It was set perfect on a tray ready for her to devour. Tomato soup, grilled cheese, a glass of milk, salad, and some fresh strawberries. Esme was quite happy with her spread. She liked doing this, playing the mommy. She looked like something out of 'Leave it to Beaver' in her white lace apron. I smiled, keeping that thought to myself.

Alice called Jasper and Emmett to the car to help unload. I scared of the amount of things she had bought. I brought Bella inside, out of the wet weather, and led her to the table. She hummed in pleasure when she saw the food. I could hear her stomach popping with hunger, though I probably could as a human.

"How was your day?" I asked as I sat beside her.

"Good. It's nice to spend time with my family." She smiled at me. "My mom really likes your sisters."

"That's good. So, what's this about a barbecue?"

She sighed, pushing her salad away. "I mentioned something about steaks. Your _sister_ got overly excited and decided we needed to have a party here. Renee is never one to turn down a party."

I smiled. "Should be interesting. Where is Renee, by the way?"

"She went to talk to Charlie. I pity her." Bella was nibbling on a corner of the sandwich as she spoke.

"As do I." I handed her a napkin. She shrugged, wiping her mouth lightly.

"Edward, there was something I wanted to talk to you about." She said in a small voice as she pushed away the sandwich. She looked up at me through her thick eyelashes.

"Anything. Go ahead." I smiled at her, encouraging her to continue.

"My mother asked about our wedding date." She swirled the tiny silver spoon through her soup, not really eating it but playing with it.

"What about it?" I placed a hand on her thigh, squeezing it gently. She seemed uncomfortable, not with me, but the subject. I slowly removed my hand, looking deep into her eyes. I didn't want her to be uncomfortable in anyway.

"I want to get married on my birthday." She was talking very softly. Most humans wouldn't have caught what she said.

"Whenever you wish, my love. A year will give Alice plenty of time to-" She put a hand to cut me off.

"This birthday. This year."

"Oh..." I stopped for a moment, not really know how to continue. I didn't realize she wanted to get married so soon. Though, it did not matter. The sooner the better in my eyes. "As I said, whenever you wish. But, may I ask, why?"

"My mother mentioned that she was coming again on my birthday. That way it'll just be easier. We won't have to worry about her being able to come or arranging airfare for her." She said rather quickly.

"What else, Bella?" I pushed. She was hiding something.

"That way, when I turn eighteen I'll just move right in. I won't have to worry about Charlie anymore." Her face was sad, her eyes looking away from me.

I placed a finger on her chin, bringing her eyes back to mine. "You could move in no matter what. Right now, if you want. We would arrange something."

"But, Charlie could say you kidnap me or something." She muttered.

"There are ways around that. But, Bella, we don't have to rush this if you don't want to." I said gently.

"I want you for forever. It doesn't matter if we get married this second or a hundred years from now. I just want to be with you." She smiled slightly, a light blush covering her cheeks.

I pulled her onto my lap. "I would love to marry you right this instant." I nuzzled her neck, making a giggle shake her chest slightly. "If we could go to Vegas right now, I'd say lets go." I covered her bare neck with kisses.

"As long as Elvis didn't marry us, I'd be fine with that." She laughed, leaning against me, letting me explore her.

"Oh come on, what's the fun in that?" I dragged my fingers across her stomach, her skin clenching at my touch.

"How about this... Let's get married by the river. Just you, me, and our families. Quiet and quick. Then you can whisk me off somewhere." She kissed my cheek lightly.

"Isabella Marie, are you trying to get me into bed?" I asked in mock horror. She laughed and elbowed me in gut. It probably did more damage to her but she didn't say anything.

That night was extremely quiet and I couldn't be more happy about that. Bella sat in between my legs, reading on her bed. I simply watched Bella. I was too entranced by her to do anything else.

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep that night. She was so tired from her active day. I would have to scold my sisters for that later. I stroked her back gently, willing her into a peace slumber.

Alice apparently spent all night decorating our back porch for the little party we were having. In the morning, after Bella woke, I went down stairs. I groaned, rolling my eyes at the sight. There was a long table set up with dozens of flowers on it. Paper lanterns hung from the over hang. White Christmas lights wrapped around the pillars. I could see the overly large grill set up in a corner. I wondered if anyone actually knew how to use it. It would be kind of funny if someone set the porch on fire because they were messing with that thing. It would most likely be Emmett doing that.

Alice and Esme were sitting in the living room both reading cook books. "Studying, ladies?"

Alice growled and I backed away slowly. If she was growling she must have been annoyed. She hardly ever did. Rose came up behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "They've been reading those things all night. I think they're on information overload. Whatever you do, don't ask them what they're making."

I laughed and decided to take my leave. I grabbed Carlisle before he went into the lion's den. He seemed surprised but I nodded my head towards the couch. He nodded and went towards the dining room. He knew when to leave the women alone. They were scary right now, even to the eldest vampire in the house.

"Edward!" I heard Bella call. I could smell her from even at the bottom of the stairs. She was freshly washed, her hair a lovely strawberry scent. She smiled brightly when she saw me. She took every step slowly. "Would you mind going with me to pick up my mother?"

"Not at all, but don't you think it's a bit early for..." I waved my hand towards the window and the back yard.

"Well, it is, but it's my first doctor's appointment. I mean, for the baby."

I finally noticed that she was wearing quite loose fitting clothing. I simply nodded. I had quite a few questions about what was about to happen, but I decided to keep them to myself. I knew some of it, but this was not my field.

We didn't talk in the car, even after Renee joined us. It was a nervous silence. We hardly spoke once we got into the doctor's office either. Every single woman that was in there was wondering if I was the father. They also thought we were too young. They could think anything they wanted.

When they called Bella's name Renee stood, following her to the back. They must have been in the room closest to the wall I was sitting by because I could hear every word. I could also hear her cry during certain tests. I wish I could take her pain away, hold her and tell her that it would fade soon.

A tiny dark hair nurse came to the waiting room and looked around, "Mr. Cullen, could you come with me?"

I popped up faster than I should have. I was nervous and it was hard to control certain parts of myself when I was. I surprised her with my speed but she shook it off. "Is everything okay?"

"Oh, everything is fine. Ms. Swan just wanted you to be in there room for the ultrasound." She smiled at me. She knew why Bella was pregnant and she knew it wasn't mine. She was surprised to see me here with her. She thought it was nice that Bella was getting so much support.

I went into the tiny room and it was already dark. Bella was laying down, waiting for this to be done with. I went to her side and took her hand, smiling at her reassuringly.

The tech came in with the huge machine a few moments later. "Alright Ms. Swan, I'm going to need you to lift your shirt up some."

Bella complied without a word, pushing the shirt so that it was resting right below her breasts.

"Alright, this is going to be a little cold." The tech, who was named Jaime, shook something that looked like a mayo bottle. It squirted onto Bella's stomach with a loud plop and she visibly flinched. The goop was a blue-green tinted clear gel. Jaime started to press the wand against Bella's stomach a moment later.

Jaime made a few adjustments and clicked on something. The baby was easy to spot, just a small white ball in the middle of a dark screen. "See, Bella, that's the baby's heart" I whispered as I pointed to the screen. If you looked closely you could see the four chambers of the pumping organ.

Bella smiled at me, then at her mother. Her mother stroked her hair gingerly. Renee was trying very hard not to cry.

"Alright, this is it's heart. I don't see any abnormalities, so that's good. See that right there?" She pointed with her pinkie. "That's the beginning of the spine." the middle age women smiled at Bella. She felt horrible about what happened to her. It wasn't fair. She knew, because it happened to her as well. But, she was lucky enough not to get pregnant for the whole ordeal.

Bella turned her face to me. "Does she look normal?" She said in a small whisper so her mother couldn't hear.

"She's fine. She looks just right from what I can tell." I soothed her. I lightly kissed her forehead.

"Well, I'm just going to take a few more measurements, but everything looks great. Would you like me to print you out a couple pictures?" The tech asked very gently.

"Oh, yes, please." Bella smiled politely.

When the woman was done she handed Bella a small towel to wipe the gel off. With every pass Bella made a face. "This is gross." She muttered as she crinkled her nose.

I laughed and took the towel from her. I wiped her stomach down, taking great care to be gentle. Renee watched the whole thing with slight fascination. She was wondering if Charlie or Phil were ever that sweet. When I was done I leaned down and kissed her stomach.

"Alright, let's get the girls fed. You've got therapy at three today." I reminded her, helping her off the table. "Renee, will you be joining us at Therapy as well or would you like me to take you somewhere else until this evening?" I was trying to very polite, I wanted at least one parent to like me.

"I'd like to go, if that's okay with Bella."

Bella nodded slowly. I could tell she wasn't in the mood to talk. I wasn't sure today would be the best day for a small celebration. I wish I could get Alice to cancel but I knew that wasn't going to happen.

Therapy was rough today. The roughest it's been in a few weeks. Bella and Renee's tears were hard and heavy. Renee apparently hadn't known all the details and today she learned them. Or at least, all the details that the humans knew. The only ones that knew the whole story were Bella, me, and my family.

Bella hadn't really been talking to her mother much lately. There were phones call once or twice a week and an Email here and there. But, other then that, Bella didn't want to talk to her mother. She felt like her mother was a flaky child one moment and an over bearing adult the next. I could see part of the reason Charlie treated Bella the way he did. He was treating her like was Renee.

By the time we arrived back to the house it was almost five in the afternoon. My sister had gone even more overboard with the decorations. All I could do was was smile and feel slightly embarrassed. My sister was going through a lot of trouble to have a party where we wouldn't even eat the food.

Bella led her mother into the house. It was amazing to see the stream of thoughts in her mind. Everything from _"Bella's marrying into a rich family." _to _"Wonder who painted that?"_ The thoughts crossed through her mind so fast it was almost hard to read them all. It was like the mind of a child.

My mother pranced out of the kitchen in a white apron, which was stained with some sort of sauce. Bella smiled to herself, turning her face to the side. I could tell she was trying not to laugh.

"Oh, you must be Bella's mother!" Esme smiled brightly. _"Wow, she looks like Bella!"_

"I'm Renee, nice to meet you." Renee smiled brightly.

"Mom, this is Edward's Mother, Esme. She's the best!" Bella touched Esme's arm, causing her to smile brightly. She was thinking how much she loved having her in the family.

"Edward, why don't you take her out back and introduce her to Carlisle?" Esme needed to retreat back into the kitchen to finish some sort of dessert. I herded Renee towards the backyard, which was harder than I would have thought it would be.

Carlisle was sitting in a chair, reading The New York Times. Jasper and Emmett were having fun poking at the fire that was growing in the grill. They were both trying to remember what it was like to do something like this when they were human. To cook over an open fire. It been a very long time. They looked like two cavemen if you asked me.

Rose and Alice were finishing up the table. It was already over done but I wasn't stupid enough to tell them that. I liked my head and I didn't want to lose it.

Renee stopped completely. She was amazed at our beauty. She had seen me and my sisters, but she hadn't seen us all together. Carlisle was especially attractive to her. I smiled at this, I would have to tell him later. "Renee, my father, Dr. Carlisle Cullen."

"Pleasure to meet you, Dr. Cullen." She shook his hand quickly before releasing it. She thought it was cold, like my hand. She was starting to wonder if it was just her.

"Please, call me Carlisle. " he smiled brightly at her. "You know my daughters already, and those are my other sons, Emmett and Jasper." He pointed them each out.

"I'm so glad we could have the party today, Renee! I just have to say that I love being around Bella. She's my best friend!" Alice rambled on and on, smiling to herself.

Renee looked at Alice then to Bella. Her daughter smiled and shrugged. It surprised her that Bella would have a friend that... _hyper_. Bella sat down in one of the chairs, telling her mother to sit as well.

The boys put the steaks on the grill. The smell was odd to me but Renee and Bella seem to enjoy it. It wafted thickly through the air. The girls started bringing things to the table, different bowls and plates full of food. Esme and Alice had for sure gone overboard. It was ridiculous.

Around six I heard a car pull up our driveway. Charlie knocked on the front door, still in his uniform. Alice ran to get it, pulling him along to the backyard.

"Hi, kids." He said politely enough. I was very glad that he had left his gun in the car. His thoughts were blurred with anger. He sat down without another word, he didn't know what to say. The only reason he was here was because Renee threatened him. He said he would try to play nice but he didn't say how hard he was going to try.

Once the steaks were done and passed out among us, the charade began. Bella watched me with curiosity. I winked at her and she giggled softly. She had seen me at school, not really trying to eat. She had never seen me try to fake it before. All of us were doing about the same thing, playing with our food, cutting it into tiny pieces, pretending to small bits in our mouths. Only the real humans made any of the food disappear.

"So, do you guys have any plans for the summer?" Renee tried to start up pleasant conversation. "Besides school, I mean."

"We haven't thought about it much. We'll probably stay close to home." Rose smiled over at Emmett. She was thinking about putting off their wedding until next year. Alice had told her about what Bella wanted for ours. _That was sweet of her_, I thought.

"Maybe we can go swimming at the river! That's always fun!" Alice smiled at her idea.

"Ugh, bathing suits..." Bella groaned.

"Swimming is good for the baby." Carlisle chimed in. He was amused by this whole thing.

"I don't have a bathing suit." I'm sure if I could read Bella's thoughts the end of that sentence would have been 'thank god.'

"That just means we get to go shopping some more!" Alice clapped her hands together. Jasper rolled his eyes and Emmett groaned.

"Just what every women wants to do, show off how fat she is in a bathing suit..."Bella was stabbing her steak like it had been attacking her. I was glad I wasn't that piece of meat.

"You are no means fat. You are perfect and beautiful just the way you are." I leaned over, trying to make her feel better about the whole thing, and kissed her hair. She leaned into me, sighing softly.

"Fine. Where do I get a swim suit anyway?" Bella pushed her plate away from her.

"Victoria Secret, of course!" Alice smiled brightly. I wish I could will my sister to shut up. I wondered if there were any vampires out there with that power. I also wondered if they could teach me how to do it.

The words Victoria Secret encouraged cat calls and whistles from my immature brothers. They were just trying to rile up Bella so she'd blush. I don't think they expected what was going to happen next. Neither could I.

I was pretending to take a sip of my water, just bringing the glass to my lips when Charlie finally decided to enter the conversation.

"Have you been having sex with my daughter?"

**This is by far my favorite cliffhanger ever. **

**Just to let you guys know that the final works for the SMC contest need to be put in by tomorrow night. The TTS have started a short story in honor of the contest and my entry was posted today. It's based of the the three musketeers. I want you guys to go read and review every chapter of it! It's on my favorite stories. **

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	29. Chapter 29

My mouth opened against my will, the water glass still pressed to my cold lips. The water fell down into my mouth and down my throat. It was amazing how something as simple as water, if uninvited, can burn. I began coughing, willing the tasteless liquid out of me. Bella was sitting stock still beside me.

Everyone was thinking very many different things, and all at the same time. Some were concerned, some were surprised, while others were amused beyond all that is normal. All the thoughts seemed to be screaming in my ears at the same time. I had to wait a moment to collect myself.

I put the glass down and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Charlie decided I was stalling so decided to repeat the question.

"Are you sleeping with my daughter?" His face was livid, bright purple and red. His eyes sparkled with the powerful emotion that he felt. Charlie wasn't just mad, he was pissed off.

I heard Emmett laughing across from me, speaking his thoughts out loud. "What, Edward the prude?"

Rosalie slapped him across the back of the head as hard as she could, making him flinch. Jasper snorted and Alice did the same to him, though not as hard. I looked at my family then at Bella. Poor Bella was bright red. What could I say to that?

"Honestly, do you wish me to dignify that with an answer?" I looked Chief Swan in the face. He hated that. He hated the confidence I was showing. He thought it was unnatural. Though, honestly I didn't feel very confident right now.

"Son, I think you should answer Charlie." Carlisle's face was completely serious but in his mind I could see his slight amusement.

I set my jaw tight so I didn't growl as I spoke. The temptation to was almost overwhelming. "No, I have not. Have some faith in your daughter."

"I have faith in my daughter!" He shot back at me furiously.

"Then act like it!" Renee and Bella both yelled at the same time. It was frightening to see how alike they were.

Charlie groaned and stood up. He was going to go home to brood. He did not like being ganged up on, but more so, he did not like being out of control.

"Do you want to see your grandchild?" Renee shouted at his back. Her face was slightly red with anger. She thought he was acting like a child.

Her words stopped him, forcing him to turn slowly around. Renee was waving a picture she'd gotten earlier this afternoon from the doctor's office. She held it between her fingers. "Do you see this? Every time you act like this you hurt this." She waved the picture again. "Now are you going to act like a grown up or a boy not getting his way?"

Charlie plopped back down into a chair wordlessly. Apparently it was going to be 'act like a boy.' "You two are too young to get married." He muttered, his arms crossed over his chest.

"How old were you?" Bella questioned angrily. I knew she already knew the answer but she wanted to make a point.

"That doesn't matter." He shot back.

"Like hell it doesn't." Renee muttered under her breath a little too loudly.

"Shut up, Renee. You know we shouldn't have gotten married so young. You think that too. What we did was a mistake."

"Then we would not have had Bella!" Renee shot back at him, not taking anything from her ex-husband. She was getting extremely mad now.

"She's the one good thing! Bella, I'm not giving you permission to do this!" He looked at me when he said the word 'this'. Apparently I wasn't a human to him right now. I wish I could have told him that he was more right than he thought.

"We're getting married on my birthday, so it doesn't matter if you give your _permission_ or not!" Bella shot up from her chair, making her way towards the house.

"Wow, that's kind of soon, Edward." Renee looked over at me, concern covering her face. Her voice was soft. She was simply trying not to make things worse. Charlie looked livid.

"She decided that, not me. I just want to make her happy." I told her honestly. "I would marry her today, if she so wished."

"Charlie, Renee. I trust my son and his decisions. If we, as a family, didn't think this was a good idea we wouldn't allow it." Carlisle decided it was time to step in. In his eyes their family needed to air out a few things, but he still was not going to let it go too far.

"It's not that I don't trust Edward, I'm just worried about Bella." Renee pushed her plate away, no longer hungry.

"As Bella's doctor I believe she's doing fine, as Bella's friend and hopefully future father in law I think this what she wants. She has really thought it through and she deserves to have her decisions respected." Carlisle looked direct at Charlie as he spoke. "All of them."

Charlie groaned, feeling defeated. "Where did Bella go?"

"She went to her room." Alice looked up at the house, her eyes going to the only bedroom with lights on. I could see what Bella was doing through Alice's mind. She was sitting on her bed, crying and she would be for a while unless something happened.

"Her room?" Renee raised an eyebrow. "You mean the guest bedroom?"

"No. It's her room. She spends so much time here I decided I wanted to get her her own space. She just feels so much like a part of my family already." Esme smiled slightly. She was starting to pick up the plates, just to give her something to do. She was glad to have a reason not to eat our food. I wondered how much of it ended up underneath the table. I would have to look later.

"Renee, if you'd like I can show you to her room." I asked, standing when Renee slowly nodded her head. Charlie stood up but quickly sat back down when his ex-wife sent him a nasty look. I think even I would have withered under that look.

"I'm going to talk to Bella and when I get back _you are _going to apologize to her." She crossed her arms against her chest, giving him her best 'you will listen to mother' look.

He grumbled, looking away from her. He was thinking about 'fleeing the scene' but knew there was no where he could have really hidden. I led Renee inside, taking the stairs slowly, just in case she was as clumsy as her daughter. She didn't seem to be, which was a surprise.

"Edward, are you ready for this?" She asked from behind me. I knew exactly what she meant by the word _this_.

"More than you'll ever know." I replied honestly. She thought about what I said for a moment before speaking.

"If you hurt my daughter, Charlie won't be the only one you have to worry about." She said seriously. She wanted to give me a warning but she didn't want to be mean. She actually liked me and thought I was good for Bella.

"I wouldn't expect anything less." I replied before knocking on Bella's door. "Love, can I come in?"

"Yes." Bella called, her voice cracking slightly. I could smell the salty tears from here, the sadness obvious in her voice.

I opened the door slowly, peeking inside first. Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed, her face red and blotchy with tears. She turned her face away, not wanting anyone to see her like this.

"I'll give you two some privacy. I think Esme will have dessert out once you're ready to come down." I smiled at Bella. She smiled slightly back before lowering her face again, her hair falling like a curtain around her.

I went down stairs. It was time for me to have a little chat with Charlie. I had enough of him and his childish behavior. "Chief Swan? Can you join me for a minute, please?"

He rose without a word and came into the living room. "What?" He snarled

"Stop hurting your daughter." I stated evenly.

"I'm not hurting her!" He cried out.

"And, crying up in her room alone is good for her?" I growled. Anger was welling up inside my stomach. He wasn't thinking clearly at all and it wasn't just hurting Bella, but himself and Renee. He was being selfish, in my eyes anyway.

"She wouldn't be crying if you weren't so stupid." He roared back.

"Stupid, excuse me?"

"You're an idiot if you think it's healthy for a teenage girl who has gone through what she has is ready for marriage." His hands were clenched in fists by his side, shaking slightly.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't think it was right." I shot back at him.

"You're a teenage boy, what do you do know?" He shouted. I could tell my family was listening with curiosity and slight worry. They weren't going to interrupt though. I could handle myself. Though, controlling my anger was getting a lot harder.

"How much did you know?" I roared back. This frightened him. I was only showing a part of my anger too. He had no idea what I had stored inside of me.

"Not enough, that's my point." He said in a small voice.

"She has a right to make her own mistakes, if this is one. After she turns eighteen you don't get a choice. It's not that far off. Do you want to lose your daughter already?" I tried to calm my wavering temper. I needed to reason with him, not yell at him.

"I don't want to lose her."

"I don't want that either. Let her, let us, do this. It's something we both need. I love her. I want to protect her." I turned away from him.

"You really do care, don't you?"

"Have I done anything to make you think otherwise?" I asked quietly. He thought for a moment.

"No." Charlie replied softly, his eyes downcast.

A moment later Renee and Bella were coming down the stairs, arms around each other. They were laughing and smile, surprisingly. Their faces fell when they saw us though. I smiled up at her. "Are you ready for dessert? I know Mom made it just for you" I went to the base of the stairs and took her hand. She nodded slightly and followed. Charlie grabbed her arm as we past.

"I'm sorry, kiddo. I just want you to be safe." He said quietly.

"I know," is all she said. Charlie released her and followed us outside. My family had cleared the table by then.

"There you are! We've got homemade ice cream!" Esme was extremely proud of herself for this. I couldn't help but chuckle a little. She made a face at me. I went over to her and lightly kissed her cheek.

"You've done well." I whispered, smiling at her. Bella came skipping over and she hugged her tightly.

"Thank you so much, this is so nice." Bella was beaming.

"Well go on, eat it before it melts." She waved towards the table.

The humans were the only ones to eat it. My family waved it off, claiming to be too full. Renee thought that was a little strange but never said so out loud. Charlie never even noticed. Alice turned on some music and my siblings decided to go dancing in the yard. The music was heavily influenced by Irish drinking music, which made me laugh. "You have awful taste in music." I commented, an arm wrapped around Bella's shoulder as I spoke to my sister.

Emmett came over and slapped the back of my head. "Just because you're all musical doesn't mean you have perfect taste. Come on Bella, why don't you dance with a real man? I promise to be gentle." He wiggled his eyebrows at her playfully.

I growled at him and, to my surprise, Bella got up from her seat. My jaw dropped as stood. She leaned over and gave me a little kiss on the forehead. "I'll dance with him first but then I want you to show him how a real man does it."

"Yes, ma'am." I smiled widely at her. It was hard not pull her onto my lap to keep her from going. I wanted to hold her all night.

Emmett grabbed Bella up, swinging her around. She was laughing hard, throwing her head back. Emmett was trying to make her laugh and he loved that he could rile her up so much. Her face was almost a shade a purple from the lack of oxygen.

"Please don't break my fiancées' back!" I shouted at him. I was only half joking, honestly.

Renee and Charlie were watching all this with surprise and amusement. They'd never seen Bella dance willingly. Nor had they seen her so happy.

"Come on, Eddie. Let's dance" Rose sauntered up to me. _"Show your roots"_ She smiled at me playfully.

I got up from the chair and swung my sister up into the air. She laughed, her hands on my shoulders, just trying to keep up with me. Rosalie was a good dancer but she wasn't use to this. She was use to slow, hulking, Emmett.

When the song ended I made my way to Bella. I swooped her up. "My turn." I whispered in her ear.

I couldn't believe how much fun I was having. All the tension from earlier left my body. Dancing like this with Bella was amazing. The joy on her face made me feel like I was flying.

"Hey, Bells! I'll see you tomorrow!" Renee called to us. She was smiling at our display.

I put Bella down, letting her go to her mother. "You want us to take to you back to the hotel?" Bella offered.

"No, that's alright. Charlie's going to do it. You be a good girl and have fun." Her mother kissed her on the forehead lightly.

Bella hugged Charlie, much to his surprise, and told him to have a good night. He was thinking that he didn't know his daughter, at all. That she was completely different from before. He wasn't sure if it was good or not.

Bella ran back to me, jumping into my arms. We danced half of the night away, changing to different styles of music from different countries and different decades. Bella was a lot more graceful when she wasn't trying so hard. She only fell a few times and we were always to catch her or pick her up. Even Jasper, who danced to a country song with her. Being around her was really helping his self control.

When I finally carried her up to bed she fell asleep instantly, still in her sun dress she had changed into for the party. It had been a wild day, to say the least.

I pulled the ultrasound picture out of my pocket and looked at it while she slept. I rubbed my hand against her stomach, feeling the fluttering heart beat underneath my palm. Bella nuzzled against me in her sleep.

I smiled to myself, looking at the sleeping form next to me. My future wife and my future child.

**I'm glad everyone enjoyed that last cliffhanger! I loved your reactions!**

**Anyway, newsletter info on my profile! And, the SMC contest is now over and has begun! Go to my profile and check out the fav author's list to click on Thethreesmuketeers for voting. **


	30. Chapter 30

I hate to do this to you guys, again, but me and my stories are going on hiatus.

I just found out that instead of having a month, to six weeks, I have only about a week and a half longer before they're going to take the baby. Because of this I don't have the time to post anything new. I've got to prepare a bit more. I know you guys understand. I just don't want to disappear off the face of the earth.

Everything is fine, they're just taking her earlier than I expected. I don't know when I will be back, but I will be back! Maybe I will get some writing done while I'm gone. Besides what stories I'm posting, I have several ideas. You'll see.

Keep an eye out for wonderful stories I'm going to keep betaing on as long as I can (which isn't much longer, but I plan to come back to that as well too when I can.) They are Holding out for You by Obessingoveredward, Readjusting and Taking Chances by Muggleinlove. They are all fantastic stories that I highly recommend.

Thank you guys for being so understanding and be on the look out on the day of my kiddo's birth. My great friends as a baby shower gift have wrote three wonderful one shots with the baby theme. They are all very different and great. In honor of Vivian (my baby) they're going to post them on the day of her birth. How's that for awesome?

Thank you for being such great friends, readers, and reviewers. Have a happy Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's day, and Easter if you don't hear from me. (And whatever fun holidays between now and then) Wish me luck!

~*Jay*~


	31. Chapter 31

Bella spent the next morning with her mother. Bella was sad about her mother leaving that night but she was glad that she came. They needed to get some things out in the open. She was even happier that she was coming back for her birthday, this time her with stepfather, Phil. Maybe the next time there would be less drama. I hoped for their sakes that that there was.

The rest of the time before school was spent in relative quiet, thankfully. When Bella finally returned to her home Charlie said nothing to her about the whole thing. Apparently Renee had given him a piece of her mind the night of the barbecue, pretty much putting him in his place. He was polite to me, even if he didn't want to be. He didn't want to hurt Bella anymore than he already had.

I actually left Bella alone earlier than I normally would have that Sunday night before the first day of school. I left when I was sure she completely asleep, snuggled comfortably underneath her blankets, and ran back to my house. I needed to get some things together for the next day. Alice was waiting for me when I got home in the living room.

"Mike Newton will be there as will Lauren. They know." She was sitting on my couch, her legs crossed. It almost looked as if she was meditating.

"How?" I asked, extremely annoyed with this new knowledge.

_"Mike's mom was there, at the deli, that day. She's got a big mouth."_ She made a sour face. She didn't like Mike Newton, or his Mother for that matter, very much.

"Shit." I muttered, sitting beside her. "What's going to happen?"

Alice showed me the vision, replaying it in her mind. Lauren was standing up next to Bella, her face twisted into a cruel smile. She was saying something to Bella then laughing. She was asking her who the 'daddy' was or if she even knew. I could see Bella's shocked face but then the vision cut off. "I don't know what Bella's going to do."

"Dammit. Why? Why do those people have to be there?" I pinched the bridge of my nose, taking a deep breath to cool my hot anger.

"Lauren failed biology. She needed to take another science to graduate on time. Not sure about Mike. Maybe he's just trying to get ahead." Alice shrugged her shoulders delicately.

"What's Mike going to do?" I questioned, closing my eyes. I was now dreading tomorrow. I didn't want it to be another trip to the hospital and have therapy five days a week, if not worse.

_"I don't know. I can't see that either. He keeps changing his mind about what to do and say." _She said in her mind. She looked over to me, waiting for my response.

"Bella's been doing so good. What will this do to her?"

"Do you want me to be close by tomorrow, just in case?" Alice asked out loud. I nodded slowly after thinking about it for a moment. I felt bad for keeping my sister busy all day tomorrow but it needed to be done. I knew Alice was worried about her as well. I think she would have stayed near by no matter what I said.

"Stay close enough so I can hear you easily. I want to know what's going to happen the second you do. That way I can take her out of there if I can. I don't want her to end up locked up or hurt." I ran my fingers through my hair as I responded. "Would I be _completely _evil if I killed Lauren tonight in her sleep?" I asked suddenly. Alice looked over at me with a sly expression on her face.

"It would be but it's not a half bad idea." I smiled slightly at her response. The monster I hadn't let out in weeks was showing his evil little face, grinning at the thought. I knew I wouldn't do it, but at that second it was nice to fantasize about it.

Alice laughed, seeing all the ways I was thinking about doing her in. Some were far more elaborate than others. "Creative but you won't do it. It would hurt Bella in the end."

"I know." I sighed softly. "Still a little fun to think about though. Actually, it's a lot of fun."

"Edward! Be good. It won't be so bad. They were going to find out sooner or later anyway." Alice patted my knee and stood up.

"I know, but I would have preferred later, like when we didn't have to see them every day for three full months." I groaned at the very thought.

"Go hunting or something. Keep your mind off of it. Can't do anything about it tonight anyway. I'll let you know if I see anything else." She waved before leaving, dancing out of the room.

I decided that she was right and I went to feed. I would need all my self control for tomorrow. I was so tense that my shoulders ached. I needed to relax so I won't alert Bella to anything. Hunting had a way of doing that for me.

I fed well and when I was done I showered, making sure to get all the evidence of my wild night off of my skin. I changed quickly into some fresh clothes and gathered my things up for the next day. This included a gift for Bella: a new leather backpack. She'd probably complain about it being too expense but I didn't care. It was perfect for her and I was sick of seeing that old ratty one.

I arrived to her house shortly after Charlie left for work, pulling in beside Bella's beat up red... _thing_. I went to knock on the door but she pulled it open before I could. She smiled at me brightly, her beautiful hair curled slightly and shining in the overcast light. She was glowing.

She looked so bright and cheerful in her bright purple tank top and blue jean Capri pants. She even wore purple flip flops. She was being optimistic that it wouldn't rain today. She must have spoken to Alice before she dressed this morning. It wouldn't rain until tonight, but it was still pretty overcast.

_She still didn't look pregnant, even if it was her twelfth week_, I thought to myself. To people who didn't know her well they wouldn't notice the change at all. Even Charlie had trouble seeing it. I could tell though. Her breast were much fuller, and her hips had widened. It was actually quiet becoming. It made her look more womanly in a way. Her stomach was starting to round out slightly, but just a little. She was practically sparkling whenever she stepped into the sunlight, her skin beautiful and smooth.

"What are you looking at, handsome?" She raised an eyebrow at me, bringing me out of my pleasant thoughts.

"My wife. Got a problem with that?" I teased, taking her hand. I took the backpack from her shoulder and slung it over my own. She smiled at me sweetly.

"Not at all. So, are you ready for this?" She asked as she slid into the seat when I opened the door for her.

"As much as I can be. I'm just ready to get it over it." I told her honestly. I was not looking forward to today at all. I wondered if Alice had already started to head towards the school.

"It won't be so bad. I'm looking forward to it." She rested a hand on my thigh.

I wish I could return the enthusiasm. Dread was starting to build in my body and I knew it was just going to get worse. Anatomy was our last class of the day and the buildup would probably kill me. Maybe I could just sweep Bella away without anyone noticing.

When we arrived on campus I could hear my sister's thoughts in my head. "_Good luck, Edward."_

Before we headed into class I reached into the backseat and retrieved Bella's gift. "I wanted to give you a little something to show you how much I love you."

She took it, running her fingers over the leather reverently. "You didn't have to do that. You could have just given me a kiss."

"Well, I planned on doing that, too." I whispered softly, leaning over and gently kissed her neck.

"Thank you, it's beautiful." She sighed, leaning her head to the side to give me better access to her sweet flesh. I was surprised at the lack of fight. I was glad she was getting use to presents. I was planning on giving her millions over the course of years.

She transferred her things from her old backpack to the new one. I watched as Lauren walked by, her thoughts like venom. I wondered briefly what kept her from burning from the inside out. I'm glad Bella hadn't noticed the evil glare that she was giving us. It was tempting to bring the car back to life and run her over until she was dead._ Very, very, dead. _

_"That would be fun, but stop it." _Alice's thoughts giggled.

I smiled to myself, shaking my head. I got out of the car to end the temptation and opened the door for Bella. She was so happy and it broke my heart to know that that would change soon. She didn't deserve that but I couldn't protect her from this. It needed to happen because it would happen some time. I didn't want it to happen when I wasn't around to help her.

The first three classes passed quickly. They were extremely easy for me but I took notes for Bella, just in case. Honestly though, she seemed to do fine on her own. She was very smart and organized. She'd make an incredible mother.

The urge to pick Bella up and run was extremely strong once we reached the room for our fourth period anatomy class.

_"Do you honestly think that would do any good?"_

"No." I muttered more to myself than to her.

We were the first ones in the classroom, arriving even before the teacher. Bella and I took a table in the center middle. She leaned over with a worried expression. "What's wrong?"

"Just worried." I told her, stroking her cheek.

"About what?"

"About who's class with us." I told her honestly. I hadn't wanted to say anything before because I knew it wouldn't have done any good. I didn't want to ruin her mood or scare her. At that moment Mike and Lauren walked in together. She was flirting with him viciously and he was getting extremely annoyed with it When Mike realized we were here as well he was really surprised. He'd just found out she was pregnant and he felt really sorry for Bella. Lauren wasn't nearly so kind. An evil smirk played on her lips.

"She's going to be a bitch, I'm sorry." I whispered in Bella's ear. I had been secretly hoping that something would happen and Lauren would change her mind. I knew that was foolish and I should have known better. She made her way over to us, her hips swaying as she moved.

"Hi there Edward. Bella." Lauren nearly spat her name. I grimaced at her twisted mind. She was warped with jealously. She hated herself and everything she had. She always wanted more. People like her were never happy.

"Hi Lauren, have a good week off?" Bella said politely.

"Oh, I did. I heard the best piece of gossip. Would you care to hear it?" Her wicked little smile grew.

"Let me guess. You found out I'm pregnant?" Bella sat up, straightening her back. This surprised Lauren completely.

_"Oh, my god! I didn't see this coming. Don't worry Edward, Bella will be fine. Maybe you should worry about Lauren!"_ Alice shouted in my mind with a laugh. What was in her mind was whirling about so quickly I was having trouble seeing it all.

"I did. Now would that be true?" Lauren was scrambling to collect herself. She was doing a poor job, even her in her head.

"It would. Got something to say about it?" Bella asked defiantly. I rested my hand on her back, trying to silently give support.

"No, but I have a question: Edward, how do you feel about not being the daddy?"

"Shut up, Lauren." Mike stood up from where he had sat down in the corner of the room. He was appalled by her behavior.

"What? It's a valid question." She turned her eyes toward me, batting her eyelashes at me. I was completely repulsed by her. She thought that Bella being pregnant would make me want to leave her. She was so desperate for attention that she'd do anything to get it. She leaned over the desk towards me, trying to show me her over stuffed bra. I grimaced and my stomach rolled slightly.

"The better question is this: Are you so lonely that you'll flirt with someone who's obviously disgusted with you?" Bella snapped at her.

"Edward, you're not disgusted by me, are you?" She batted her overly done eyelashes at me again.

"I wasn't talking about Edward actually. I was referring to Mike. But, I'm pretty sure he's in the same category." Bella spoke again before I could answer. Her voice was strong, her face was slightly flushed with anger.

Lauren turned her head towards Mike who simply nodded and then back to me. I nodded myself. "I'm not disgusting! Bella's a whore. What makes me so awful, huh?" Lauren was almost crying, her body shaking with angry.

"Excuse me young lady, but I don't think that's something you should be saying in a class room." The science teacher was standing behind Lauren. I couldn't help but smile. The woman was outraged by what Lauren had just said. She heard the entire exchange. She thought Bella had every right to say what she did. I was glad she understood. "Ms. Mallory, come with me to the Principal's office. Class, I want you to open your books to first chapter and I'd like you start with definitions. I'd like to see at least ten of them by the time I get back."

I hadn't realized that about eleven more students had come into the class room. Their minds were surprised, wondering what exactly was going on. All of them were from different schools around the county. When the teacher was out of the classroom I pulled Bella into a tight hug.

"Are you alright?" I whispered into her ear.

"I'm fine. But, in two years, make sure to keep me away from her because I'm going kill that bitch otherwise." She muttered back to me. I was taken aback by her anger. I pulled back looking at her. She was dead serious.

"I'll take you far away, Promise. Though, we may have to worry about Alice or Rosalie doing the job for you. They get very protective." I whispered back, rubbing her back.

"What about you?" She raised an eyebrow.

"It would take too long to hide the body. I wouldn't want to be away from you that long."

She laughed, leaning her head against my shoulder. Mike walked slowly over to our table, wondering what he should say, if he could say anything at all.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly. He was extremely nervous talking to Bella ever since the episode.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bella answered as she opened her book slowly, pulling out a pad of paper and a pen.

"Are you really...?" He trailed off, not wanting to say the word.

"Yeah." She stated shortly.

"It's not yours, so is it from the..." He looked into my eyes. He felt sorry for Bella and I. He could tell we really cared about each other. Mike thought Bella was a sweet girl and didn't deserve this.

"Yeah, it is, Mike. Don't worry about it, okay?" Bella started writing, carefully putting each word down, not looking at him.

Mike nodded and went back to his seat. He had so many questions he didn't want to ask. He felt guilty for being so curious. I had a new found respect for Newton. He was growing up.

Both Bella and I had finished writing the work out by the time the teacher returned. Lauren was not with her though. Apparently, she had made a scene and decided to call the teacher a bitch, which really pissed off the teacher. Never a good idea. She shouldn't have pushed her luck that way. They don't give second chances in summer school. Now she'd simply have to repeat her junior year and graduate after her class.

Alice was waiting for us when we got out of class. She was leaning against my car, a large grin plastered across her face. She ran up to Bella as soon as she saw her and wrapped her in a big hug. "That was awesome! I've never seen you put someone in their place before!"

"Ugh, you saw that?" Bella blushed, looking away.

"Of course. By the way, I am so proud of you!"

"I was being so mean though! It was awful. I shouldn't have said those things." Bella looked sadly back at the school.

"She deserved it." I told her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

Alice nodded and Bella shrugged. "It felt good. But it was still mean. Oh well..."

"Don't worry about it. She shouldn't have said what she said. Now, come on! Let's go get you some Chinese!" Alice pulled the door open to my car.

"I guess you're hungry?" I looked at Bella, trying not to chuckle.

"Um, yes." She smiled sheepishly. It was adorable.

"Whatever you want you get." I winked at her playfully causing her to laugh and smile.

Therapy was interesting today. I figured there would be some sort of tears over what happened earlier, but there wasn't. I could hear the anger in Bella's voice and her frustration. I could also hear the doctor thinking that Bella was becoming moodier with the pregnancy but it was giving her boost of confidence. It wasn't all that uncommon in pregnant women. It was such a rush in hormones, I wondered how they could handle them.

Once there was no Lauren school became so much easier. It was actually quite enjoyable for me. I liked having every class with Bella. I knew it wasn't so easy for her but she did not lead on to it. No one bothered her about her pregnancy or our relationship, though it was on their minds. Most of them now knew what happened because of town gossip. At least they were smart enough to keep it mainly amongst themselves.

That following Friday evening Alice kidnapped Bella again. I could tell how much she hated shopping but she hated disappointing Alice more. At least it gave me a chance to hunt and some time alone to myself. After I showered and dressed I laid in Bella's bed, waiting for her to return. I looked up at the ceiling, trying to imagine the future. Her scent wrapped around me, making me miss her more.

"Hey there. Comfy?"

**Hey guys! I'm back, finally! I'm sorry it took so long. Anyway... I'm going to try to post this story every day until it's finished. We'll see how that goes. I think I can do it. We'll see. **

**For those of you who don't know, I'm starting to post a new story, Walking Away. It's probably my favorite thing I've written for a while. Also, I'm betaing and co authoring 3 wonderful stories. The author is thespoiltone. She's fantastic. Now, if you want something a little darker, go check it out!**

**So, what do you think?**


	32. Chapter 32

I smiled up at her beautiful form, taking all of her in. Bella had several bags in her hands but dropped them on the floor when she saw my eyes open and bounded towards the bed. I caught her in my arms with a laugh and kissed her delicately full lips.

"Your sister. She's nuts, you know that?." She told me as she nuzzled against me. Like it was something I didn't already know, but I wanted to know her reasoning behind it.

"Why do you say that?" I asked as I stroked her back, running my fingers up and down her spine.

"She bought me like seven different bathing suits and all this stuff to go with them. We live in Washington State for god sake's not Florida!." She muttered, rubbing her face against my shirt.

"She likes to spoil you." I said with a small smile.

"She likes to shop! I'm just a Barbie doll she can dress up." She lifted up, showing me her sarcastic expression. I smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"Let her have her fun. Besides, I like seeing some of the things on you." I wiggled my eyebrows at her playfully, causing her to laugh.

Bella sighed heavily then shrugged, "oh, well..." She laid back against me before speaking again. "Is it okay if I stay the weekend?"

"That's a stupid question." I pulled her face up to mine and kissed her lightly. "Besides, I want to see you in a bathing suit." I winked at her. I was about to kiss her again when...

"I bought you one, too!" Alice stated as she came skipping into the room.

"I have one." I groaned, not only that she bought me something but the fact that she was interrupting us, again.

"You needed a new one." Alice informed me as she sat on the bed beside us. I had a very strong urge to push her off with my foot.

_"That would be mean." _She gave me a wicked look, practically daring me to do it.

Bella looked between us and began to laugh. "You guys need to stop that."

"Stop what?" I asked her, confused.

"Lets have conversations so everyone can hear it, please?" She raised an eyebrow, accusing us.

I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Alright Bella, lets go get you ready for tomorrow." Alice said as she started to pull Bella off the bed.

"Save me." Bella looked at me with slightly panicky eyes.

"Alice, let her go." I growled. Alice let go but leaned in, whispering something softly in Bella's ear.

"Ugh! Fine!" Bella gave in, leaned over and kissed me lightly on the forehead. She looked at me very seriously and said, "if I'm not back in an hour, come get me."

I felt sorry for Bella who was now in the evil clutches on my sisters and my mother. I was surprised to see Esme in there as well. She usually let the girls have their fun. I decided to go downstairs and join the men. Jasper and Carlisle were playing a game of chess and Emmett was watching a movie.

"How do we always get left on the outside?" I asked as I plopped down Emmett.

"Get use to it." Jasper called to me before moving his knight, taking Carlisle's rook. Carlisle was growling in his head, frustrated that Jasper had just thwarted his next move. I smiled to myself, letting them enjoy their game. Of course Jasper felt it.

"Alice needs to get a new hobby." I groaned, already feeling left out and lonely. I stood up and made my way to the piano.

I slammed my fingers into the keys, playing Rachmaninoff. My fingers played from memory, never missing a key but my mind was not on it. I simply played to be doing something.

"Stop being so damn impatient." Jasper called to me. I ignored him, continuing to play. When he tried to send me a wave of calm I growled at him. "Just trying to help. You're so antsy."

"I'm fine." I mumbled, not missing a single note.

I don't remember knocking over the bench and I don't remember my family yelling behind me. All I remember is hearing the scream. The high pitched, altogether human, scream. I ran as fast as I could to Alice's door.

"Ow! Dammit, Alice that hurt!" I heard Bella shriek and Alice giggled.

I almost busted down the door. I didn't want to simply pop in and accidentally hurt Bella in the process. "Are you alright?" I must have sounded so desperate but I didn't care.

Bella laughed and answered sarcastically, "yes, I'm fine. She's just trying to rip my skin off."

"Rip your skin off?" I went to open the door but Esme opened it, slipping out.

"They're waxing her legs. If you bother us now she'll only be half way done and will be uncomfortable. Now, go! We wouldn't let anything bad happen to her, you know that." Esme said as she tried to push me down the stairs. I didn't move an inch.

"Rip her skin off?" I asked again, slightly dazed.

"Take him out before he breaks my door!" She called to Carlisle who was apparently standing behind me. He nodded and grabbed my arm. Jasper took the other. I hadn't even realized he was here either.

"Hey, put me down!" I shouted at them, getting extremely angry at the whole thing. I could hear Bella's laughter in the bedroom.

"You need to relax. Esme will kick your ass if you break her door." My brother grinned wickedly, thinking the idea was funny. Especially that it was me and not him. Emmett opened the front door and ushered me out.

"Come on, lets go for a swim. Cool off a bit." Carlisle suggested. It was already ten at night, but it didn't really matter to us. We headed off to the garage to grab the bathing suits that were stored in there for when we went hunting.

I really needed to trust my family more with Bella. I knew that and I also I knew they loved her. She would be fine with them. I've never been this wound up before. I just hated Bella ever being in pain. It frightened me more than I knew what to deal with.

I dived deep into the river, feeling the water move slowly past me. I stayed under, letting the water press against my body. I slowly floated towards the surface and laid on my back, looking up all the velvet black sky. It was a clear night tonight, and it would be sunny all day tomorrow. I was excited about that, for once. We were going to spend the entire day by the river, basking in the sunlight with Bella by my side.

I could hear my brother's wrestling beside me, though I wasn't really paying attention to them. Carlisle was laughing at their stupid display. Emmett bumped into me as he flung Jasper over his head and about ten feet away. He decided I was next. He grabbed my arm but I pushed away.

"You're not as quick in the water." He teased me, advancing towards me.

"You're not as heavy, either." I commented. I wasn't really interested in a fight tonight.

I could sense Jasper about to attack behind me. Two on one wasn't very fair so I decided to duck into the water and dashed away from Jasper. My brothers were laughing while chasing me through the river. They were never ones to take a hint. I went all the way to the bottom, trying to hide in the murky depths. Suddenly they stopped their search.

_"Wow." _Emmett thought dumbly.

_"She looks amazing." _Carlisle's thoughts suddenly invaded my mind.

I swam up to the surface, seeing what they were all thinking about. My sisters and mother were already in the water, swimming towards their men, but Bella was at the water's edge. She was barefoot, wearing a bright red one piece that was strapless which hugged her body tightly. I wondered how uncomfortable she was in it. But, she did look amazing in it. I smiled to myself when I saw that her nails were painted to match. Alice always did go too far. "You look lovely."

"I look like a bloody whale." She said in sad frustration.

I couldn't help but laugh. It was just so absurd. She frowned at me and started to make her way towards the house. I ran out of the water, trying to ignore my family's sarcastic thoughts. They were all along the lines of _'Good job, idiot.'_

"You look amazing, you silly little girl." I grabbed her by the hips, pulling her to me, her warm back pressed to my wet chest.

"I look like a dead whale." She growled and tried to wiggle out of my arms.

"You do not. Now come swim with me." I commanded.

"No." She tried to squirm away again but I turned her towards me.

"Look at me, Isabella." I found her eyes even in the darkness. They seem to glow. "You're beautiful. Just swim with me for a little while. It'll be good for the baby."

She sighed in defeat and I smiled at her playfully before picking her up, trudging towards the water. Rosalie and Emmett had disappeared somewhere, along with Carlisle and Esme. Only Alice and Jasper were left. They sat silently in the darkness, looking up at the moon.

I slowly placed Bella in the water, letting her adjust to the temperature. She leaned back, letting her hair dip into the water. I watched her with open fascination. Honestly, I've never been swimming with a human before. Watching her splash around, watching her skin become flushed with the activity, was... _arousing_, to say the least. She didn't know how lovely she was.

"What?" She questioned, looking at me slightly confused.

I shook my head, not wanting to admit how attracted I was to her at that moment. I didn't want to embarrass her. I ducked underneath the water and swam to her. I placed my ear on her stomach and I could feel her laughing against me. Her fingers laced with my hair. I could hear the heartbeat and the tiny hiccups of the baby. I smiled to myself. I kissed the spot lightly and swam up to the surface.

"Hear anything interesting?" She asked, still playing with my hair still.

"She has the hiccups, again." I picked her up. She wrapped her legs around my waist, holding on to me tightly.

"I didn't even realize that they could get the hiccups, honestly." She laid her head against my shoulder.

"They can... and you do you know what else? She has fingerprints now, too. Also, if you think of it this way... you're carry your own future grandchildren."

"What? She lifted her head up, confused by my mini rant.

"The baby's ovaries are developing. She's produced over six million eggs by now. Very interesting." I said, remembering it from all the books I read in school.

"You're too smart for your own good." She mumbled.

"Isn't that the truth!" Emmett cried behind me, surprising me. I was too wrapped up in the moment. Rosalie was pulling Bella away to the river bed before I could even realize.

"Trust me, you're safer up here." Alice smiled, sitting beside Bella. _"You better watch your back, you're about to get attacked." _My sister informed me with a smirk.

I don't know how long I fought with my brother's. Longer than I should have, that's for sure. When I went back to shore Bella was asleep on Alice's lap.

"How long has she been asleep?" I asked, annoyed.

"About an hour." Rose answered. Bella's feet were in her lap.

"You should have told me. I would have taken her up." I reached down and scooped her up into my arms. She had a little dirt smudged on her cheek, I gingerly wiped it away with my thumb.

"She was having too much fun watching you and we didn't want to bother her by moving her. We don't mind anyway." Rose answered. She hopped up to go swimming with Emmett again. He needed his ego re-inflated after the beaten he received from Jasper and me.

I pushed the bedroom door open with my foot when I reached the third floor. Bella was pretty much dry by now but she was still in her bathing suit. I laid her down in the center of the bed. "Bella, my love, it's time to get ready for bed." I whispered into her ear, kissing the hollow place below it.

"No, I'm comfortable." Bella muttered, reaching for me. I sat on the bed beside her.

"You're going to get cold." I smiled slightly at her. She was so adorable. Her face was pressed against my thigh.

"I don't care." Her eyes were still closed. I don't think she was honestly awake.

"If you don't change, I'll do it myself." I was trying to shock her awake. I thought I could at least get her out of bed this way.

"Fine. Go ahead." She pressed closer to me. Her hands were resting lightly on my knees.

"Be careful, you might just get your wish." I got up from the bed after setting her to the side. She groaned at my absence, searching with her hands even though her eyes were still closed.

"Come back." She slowly opened her eyes, batting the sleep away from them.

I reached into her closet and pulled out a pair of pajamas. I threw them onto the bed. "Go get ready for bed."

She grumbled at me but did as I asked. She grabbed a pair of panties from the drawer and padded her way to the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. I went to my room to change. I honestly needed a shower. It would have to wait until she was asleep again. I pulled on a pair of sleep pants.

"Edward..." Bella smiled at me, leaning against the door way of my room. She was playing with her ring absently, something she was doing more and more of lately.

"Are you ready for bed?" I asked as I went to the drawer to get out a shirt. She stopped me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yes, come to bed." She tugged at my hand and I let her lead the way. She crawled into bed and I followed behind like a giant puppy dog. She pressed me down until I was laying on my back and she settled on top of me. The warmth she produced was amazing, but I hated how my cold body stole it from her. I wrapped the blanket around her tightly.

"We need to stop referring to the baby as 'her'" Bella said out of the blue. "We need to give her a name."

"Do you have any ideas?"

"I do, but I'm worried you'll mind." She pressed her face into my bare chest, not looking at me.

"Tell me." I commanded. I wouldn't mind any name she'd pick. It was completely up to her.

"Elizabeth." She answered quickly.

"Elizabeth? Really?" I questioned, a little surprised.

"I'm sorry, you don't like it. I should have never brought it up."

"I love it. You'd really want to name her after my mother though?" I was pleasantly surprised. I was hoping she wouldn't name her something like Morgan or Tiffany. They were nice enough names, just rather over used.

"Elizabeth is a classic name. It has so many nicknames you can derive from it. Eliza, Liz, Lizzy, Beth, Betty even. Plus, Edward and Isabella, we might as well stick with vowels." She smiled up at me. Her fingers stroked absently at my chest, biting her bottom lip.

"Elizabeth Cullen. I like it." I kissed her temple. Before she could bring anything else up I started to hum her lullaby. She relaxed against me instantly, falling into a deep sleep.

I held her the entire night. I was worried that she'd be stiff in the morning if I didn't place her on the bed but I couldn't bring myself to do it. Her beating heart and the soft movements of the child were an interesting combination on my body. I loved it. I played with her hair, spinning the silk between my fingers.

The weekend was bliss, even if Bella complained about being fat. Which was utter nonsense. Just because you gain five pounds does not make you automatically overweight. Bella may of not been a normal girl but certain things are universal, I suppose.

By Sunday Bella was slightly tanned. I never seen her looked so sun kissed before. It made my stomach ache to see her look so beautiful like this. If I made her a vampire, she'd never look like that again.

I didn't want her to be a vampire. I wanted her to stay my beautiful human Bella.

**A few things in this chapter make me really smile. **

**Thank you for all your fantastic reviews. And, just a reminder, this story is a Reedit of an older one, for those of you who keep going 'wait... haven't I read this before?' So, yes, you have, but this version is much better and flows better. **


	33. Chapter 33

Three more weeks passed quickly. They cut her therapy back down to twice a week, returning it to Tuesday and Thursday like before we found out so dramatically that she was pregnant. The doctor was thinking that if she continued this way that she would cut it down to once a week by the end of the summer, not that she said it out loud. I wasn't going to tell Bella this just yet, just in case it did not happen but it would be a nice development.

The rain was pouring down in sheets this Friday afternoon. Bella wasn't looking forward to her doctor's appointment for some reason. The confidence her mother had given her the last go round was gone. I knew she didn't want to be in there alone.

She got up slowly when they called her name. Bella looked back at me with sad eyes and I ached for her. The nurse led her deep inside. I sighed, leaning forward in the chair.

"Mr. Cullen, you can join her, if you want. We're not doing anything serious today. Just a check up." She smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back. I had to keep myself from running behind Bella.

I slipped into the room where Bella was. She was laying on the table, one arm over her head and one arm on her stomach. "Come to rescue me?"

"No, just giving moral support." I leaned in and kissed her. She smiled against my lips.

"Oh, it won't be that bad, Ms. Swan!" The doctor called from the door. The short spiky haired women with a thick Russian accent surprised me. She looked a bit like she was twelve and reminded me of Alice. "Hello, I'm Dr. Vox." She offered me a hand. She was thinking about how this was the boy was Bella was raving about last visit.

I shook her hand briefly. "Edward."

"Well, why don't we get on with this. I know you've probably got things to do today." The doctor stepped beside Bella. "Go ahead and lift your shirt for me."

Bella did as she was told, closing her eyes at the doctor's clammy touch. I knew it made her uncomfortable. She seem to be only comfortable with vampires touch, which was rather odd.

Dr. Vox felt along Bella's hips, pressing her fingertips against them. I watched as Bella bit her lip nervously. The doctor then took a long white strip of paper measuring tape and lined it against her stomach. Bella measure out perfectly to 'sixteen weeks." I was hard to believe that almost four months had past sense our lives were changed.

"Okay, well all we have to do now is an ultrasound, just to make sure there are no abnormalities with development. Also, I'm going to go ahead and prescribe you something for iron, since it was a bit low. That's not uncommon and isn't something you should worry about." With that the doctor walked out of the room.

"Mm... rust." I commented. Bella laughed and smiled. I traced my fingers against her bare stomach. She hadn't bothered to lower her shirt because she knew she'd just have to pull it up again in a little while.

"Will you actually be able to tell?"

I nodded, leaning in to kiss her belly button. She laughed and wiggled underneath my touch. "It won't be too bad though."

"Will you be able to taste it?" She started to play with my hair.

"What do you mean?"

"When you kiss me, will you taste it?" She tugged at my hair, motioning for me to come closer to her.

"I suppose so. You always taste so delicious, I don't see how that's going to change." I smiled before leaning down to kiss her. Her hand rested on the back of my neck, pulling me closer.

I heard a cough beside us. The ultrasound tech, Jaime, was standing there with a large smile on her face. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No, ma'am." Bella smiled, blushing a dark crimson. The tech laughed, shaking her head. She flicked off the light and turned on the machine as she came over to us.

Once again the goop was spread over her stomach. It had an odd smell and I could only imagine how bizarre it felt against her skin. Jaime started prodding Bella with the wand again. I held her hand tight, watching the screen with rapt fascination.

Not really a human in every sense but she was more than a ball. You could see a head, tiny arms and legs. Jaime was busy taking measurements, making lines and circles around each part. "Everything seems just about right."

I started pointing out different things to Bella while the woman was busy. Her arms, her legs, her spine, and Elizabeth's heart. I couldn't help but smile as I said each word to my lovely wife.

"I bet she'll be as beautiful as her mother." I whispered into her ear. Bella blushed, turning her head to kiss my cheek lightly.

"Well, I know how your mother loved the pictures last time so let me print those up and you'll be ready to go." Jaime was beaming at us. She liked seeing Bella look so happy. I was starting to have a soft spot for this woman. She was not judgmental. It was a refreshing change from most human beings.

Bella was eying the picture in her fingertips. She was silent, which made me nervous. We were normally silent in the car, but it wasn't uncomfortable like this. Something in the air was different.

"What's wrong?" I asked gently, placing a hand on her knee.

"I want to go show Charlie." She looked up at me, her eyes slightly sad.

"Are you sure you want to do something like that?" Charlie hadn't reacted well to this whole thing. To him, it was best to ignore it.

"Yes, I'm sure. Please, can you take me to the police station?"

"Of course." I didn't say anything else. I pushed the car forward towards a bad situation. At least, what I thought was a bad one.

We sat outside the station for several minutes. Neither of us said anything. No one came in or out the station. It was actually a little eerie in a way.

"Are you sure?" I asked again. She nodded and stepped out of the car. She still had the piece of paper between her fingers.

There was a woman sitting at the front at a desk, she recognized Bella right away. She stood up quickly. "Hey, you okay?" She'd never seen Bella come down to the station before, she barely even called. The only time she did was when she was in trouble.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Is my dad around?" Bella didn't even pretend that these people didn't know her.

"He's in his office, do you want me to go get him?" The woman, Cindy apparently, sat back down. She was thinking that Bella didn't really look pregnant.

"No, I know my way. Thanks." Bella waved and grabbed my hand, pulling me along behind her.

She knocked on the door and Charlie called for us to come in. When Bella opened the door he was in utter shock. "What's wrong, Bells?"

"Why does something have to be wrong?" Bella shook her head and sat down in one of the chair in front of his desk.

"Then what is it?" He was eying me with suspicion. He wasn't sure what was wrong but he was sure it was my fault. He was so protective of her. I could understand that at least.

Bella didn't say anything else but handed him then picture. Charlie took it, completely confused. "What's this?"

"Your granddaughter." I told him. His eyebrows knit together as he thought. _"Granddaughter. It's a girl. Can they tell that already?" _

"I thought you might want to see that." Bella spoke a little sadly. She was starring at her fingers. I could tell she didn't want to see her father's reaction to it.

Charlie smile, continuing to study the picture. "Thanks, kiddo. Here, let me go make copies of it."

"Copies, why?" Bella looked confused. She had been preparing for him to dismiss her. I didn't have to read her mind to know that.

"Well, I want to keep one in the office and I'm sure you want to send one to your mom. Edward, do you think your parents will want one?" Charlie was counting in his head already.

"Yes, please. I know I want one as well." I kissed the top of Bella head. She smiled up at me.

"Alright, I'll be right back." Charlie ran out. He had a million thoughts running through his head at the same time.

"That's not what I expected." Bella commented.

"He likes the idea of having a granddaughter." I rested my hands on her shoulders, rubbing them gently.

"I wonder why." She placed her hands on mine, her eyes far off.

"Honestly, I'm not sure why. He's not either. I think it just hit him that he's going to be a grandpa and not just a father to a daughter with a kid." I was going to say more but Charlie came back in, carrying twenty copies of the picture. He handed the original back to Bella.

"Think you've got enough there, Dad?" She laughed.

"I'm not sure. I guess I can make more if I don't." He started counting out the pictures, handing half to Bella.

"I was joking. Who are you going to give those to?" She held the papers to her chest, along with the original. It was like she was hugging it to her heart.

"Well, one is for here. One's for the house. I'm going to give one to Billy and Harry and Leah. They've been asking about you. You should come visit them some time." Charlie was talking absently. He was too busy imagining his granddaughter. The image he was looked almost exactly like Bella as a child.

I didn't want Bella to go out to the reservation. We had a treaty with them and could not break it. She did not know this, even if she knew the stories. I didn't want her to know about them. They didn't seem to be around anymore but I still couldn't take the chance. Werewolves were not something to be mess with.

"We will see, Dad. I'll see you later okay?" She got up and slowly made her way to the other side of the desk. She hugged her dad gently and he squeezed her back. It had been a while since she had willingly gave her father a hug. He loved it.

"Have a good night you two. Are you staying with Alice tonight, Bells?" He called as we were leaving.

I wasn't actually sure. I hoped so but I wasn't going to say that right in front of her father. He knew in his mind that she wasn't staying with Alice but with me. He knew he couldn't stop it with a fight. It wasn't worth it. Bella was happy and that was all that mattered. And he knew deep down that she was the safest with me.

"Yeah. I'll see you later. Have a good night." She called to him as we left. Bella took my hand and leaned into me as we walked towards the car.

"Oh, I didn't know Alice wanted you to stay." I teased her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Do you not want me to stay?" She asked, her face slightly hurt.

"Don't be silly. Of course I do." I brought my arms around her. I leaned her against the car door, kissing her delicate neck.

"Can we do something tonight?" She asked, leaning her head to the side to give me better access. Her skin was absolutely delicious and I had to keep tasting her.

"What do you want to do, my love?" The rain had stopped from earlier but it was starting to sprinkle again, making her skin salty with the droplets.

"I want to be alone with you." She ran her fingers down my chest, sliding them around to my back and into my jean pockets.

"That sounds like a nice idea." I smiled against her flesh and I could feel her flush underneath me. Bella had never touched me this way before.

"Let's go to your meadow." She whispered in my ear.

"It's raining... I don't know if it's a good idea for you to be outside..." I pulled away. She covered my mouth with her hand, hushing me. I raised an eyebrow, flicking my eyes down to her hand and then to her.

"It'll be fine. Please?" She pursed her lips slightly with the word. I nodded in defeat. It was a small request and I couldn't deny her anything.

"Let's go now before the rain gets too bad." I opened the door and she smiled at me brightly. Bella liked winning with me.

It didn't take too long to get to where we were going. When we stopped on the trail I loped to the other side, not hiding my natural speed. But, Bella was already out of the car by the time I got there, surprising me. She must have been eager to come out for some reason. I picked her up and placed her on my back. I wouldn't allow her to walk in this condition. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as I began to run. A few water droplets hit us as we ran, though it wasn't much underneath the canopy of trees. I could hear Bella laughing behind me. I turned my face towards her and winked playfully. She grinned back, a look of pure excitement on her face.

When we arrived at the meadow I didn't let go of her, but spun her around on my back until she was in front of me, pressed against my chest. She laughed harder, gripping tightly onto my shirt. Bella began to nibble playfully on my neck, covering it with licks and kisses. I had to hold back a groan.

"Put me down." Bella whispered sensually into my skin. A shutter ripped through me and I could hardly think through my lust filled fog. When I didn't move she bit my ear and I did as she commanded. She landed on her feet, but wobbled and fell to her bottom on the soft slightly moist grass.

I laughed and sat in front of her. She pushed my shoulder. "Mean vampire. Laughing at me. So rude."

I laid back on the ground when she pushed me. I put my arms underneath my head, simply relaxing. "You're too cute. I couldn't help it."

She smirked but then it grew slightly evil. She pounced on top of me, straddling my waist. She was attempting to pin my arms down to the ground, but we both knew I was simply letting her, of course. Bella leaned forward, letting her hair tickle my face and neck. Her sweet scent wrapped around me, filling my senses completely.

"Oh, I'm so scared of the little human girl." I said dryly, trying to hide the smile that played against my lips.

"Maybe you should be." She winked at me, grinding her hips against mine. She leaned down and began to kiss me wildly, her hot tongue gliding against my lips and gentle nips at my lips. I was expecting a kiss but nothing like this. She was the dominate one. Her fingers gripped tightly into the flesh of my wrist, holding onto me for dear life.

"Isabella..." I breathed, closing my eyes, enjoying the feeling. She leaned her body down completely on top of mine, burying her face into my neck, moving her kisses there. It felt so amazing.

I felt a furious movement against my stomach. Bella sat up quickly, gripping herself, her arms wrapped around her belly.

"Are you okay?" I sat up on my hands. She was still straddling my waist.

"I just felt the weirdest thing..." She trailed off, looking down at herself.

"The baby's moving." I told her gently. I placed my hand on her stomach. "It's been getting stronger for weeks. I've been able to tell. It moves the most during night..."

She looked at me, confusing playing in her eyes. "You've been able to tell? How?"

I placed my hand on her stomach. The child pushed back against my hand then moved to the other side of the womb when I didn't move. I shrugged my shoulders. "I can feel your blood pulsing underneath my fingertips. I can hear your heart beat, along with hers. I'm just more sensitive to it. Pretty soon, everyone will be able to tell though."

"There feels like there is popcorn popping in my stomach." She made a little face.

"I think she's upset that you've gotten so active. " I laughed as Bella blushed. She let her hair fall in front of her face. _Her protective curtain._

"Sorry about that. I don't know what came over me. I just wanted you so badly..." She muttered, looking away.

I placed my hand on her warm cheek and brought her mouth to mine. "Nothing to apologize for."

We laid in the meadow until the rain began to fall heavily from the sky. We were both soaked by the time we got to the car. Bella was laughing at our wet state. Her hair stuck to her face in wet strands. I placed her into the car, turning the heater on full blast.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and it didn't take a psychic to figure out who it was. "Yes, Alice?"

"Get Bella home! We've got some wedding plans to go over!" Alice was beyond giddy. I already felt sorry for Bella.

**A little lovin time for Bella and Edward. I think they needed it. A lot has happened to them and a lot more to come!**

**So, the wedding... what are your thoughts on that?**


	34. Chapter 34

"Alice, I was just thinking we would get married in the backyard in jeans by a justice of the peace. Really, all this isn't necessary." Bella said as she rubbed the back of her neck. I knew she feared my sister's wrath at saying something like this. I honestly couldn't care less where we got married, as long as we got married. That's all that mattered to me in the end.

"Yes, it is." Alice rolled her eyes as she slammed her huge scrapbook down on the dinning room table. It was so over stuffed with so many things that they were coming out of the very binding. "Since your birthday is on a Saturday that works out perfectly. You're going to be about thirty weeks along so... you're going to be... rather..." She trying to think of a word that wouldn't offend Bella. The list she was going through was actually pretty funny, not that I would say anything from it directly to the face of a pregnant woman.

"Plump?" Bella muttered. She seemed slightly amused with the whole thing. Even she could tell Alice was trying not to stick her foot in her mouth.

"Well, see. Round is more like it. So, I've picked out several dresses..."

"You know what I like, Alice." Bella cut her off.

"Look here, Missy. I've picked out everything you like. You just pick out your favorites and I'll be done with you. I won't make you do anything else but pick out the guess list." Alice said firmly, trying to put her foot down. She figured we could get this part done tonight, if Bella didn't argue with her too much. I sighed, feeling very sorry for Bella. I'm not sure I wanted to be witness to this massacre of wedding magazines. I turned my back to go into the living room with my brothers. It was safer in there.

"Where do you think you're going?" Alice barked at me. I turned, shocked at her attitude. "This is your wedding, too. Sit down and help. Now!"

Bella started laughing. I smirked at her. She closed her mouth firmly, puckering in her lips to keep the giggles from spilling through. I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh myself.

"What? It's kind of funny to see you get put in your place. It doesn't happen very often" She smiled at me playfully. After rolling my eyes again at her words, I picked her up and sat down on her chair, placing her back on my lap. She squirmed a little bit, getting comfortable. She finally settled, resting her back against my chest.

I've never in my hundred years looked at so much stuff before in one setting. Pointless frilly s_tuff_. I would have called it something else, but Alice would have gotten me. Poor Bella must have been so overwhelmed. We looked at everything except wedding dresses, which honestly surprised me until Alice explained that it was bad luck for me to see it before the wedding.

"Like that would even make a difference." Bella snorted, flipping through my sister's book, looking at the bridesmaid's outfits.

"It does matter! We're going to do this right." Alice said, still taking notes. She didn't even bother to look up from her yellow legal pad as she scribbled things down.

"This is suppose to be my wedding." Bella groaned. I placed a small kiss on her neck and she leaned back against me with a heavy sigh. I wanted to comfort her but I really wasn't sure how.

"Tell me what you want." I whispered in her ear.

"You and me. Getting married under the moon. That's all that matters." She whispered quietly, turning her eyes to look at me. So wide and beautiful. And so very... mine.

"Then that's what you shall have" I rested my hands on her stomach.

"Come on, this isn't fair. Let me plan on the wedding!" Alice was bouncing in her seat. She reminded me so much of a child when she did that.

"Alice, you can help. Please, let me have it my way." Bella begged.

"You have to wear a dress and he has to wear a suit." Alice had her hands resting on her hips as she stood up from the table.

"Fine. Any other demands about _my_ wedding?" Bella's mouth was pulled up in a smirk. I could tell that she thought this part was slightly amusing, since she knew she was going to get her way.

"Can we have cake?" Alice's eyes were large and pleading. It was quite funny.

"Cake and that's it! Why do you want it anyway? You don't eat it." Bella relaxed against me, knowing that the demands on her were soon coming to an end.

"They're pretty. Besides, trust me, you'll want cake." Alice had a knowing smile on her face. It didn't take a psychic to figure out that a very pregnant woman would want something sweet after a stressful day, but I wasn't going to say that out loud either.

Bella shrugged and turned her face towards me. A sweet smile played on her lips and I leaned down to feel the warmth in them. She brought her hand up to my cheek and rubbed it gingerly as she pulled away.

"Alright, let's talk about the guest list!" Alice interrupted our moment and I groaned.

"Can't we do this some other time?" I asked, exasperated.

"Edward and I, you, Jasper, Rose, Emmett, Carlisle, Esme, Charlie, Renee and Phil. That's it! There is no one else. I will not invite the entire town to this." Bella said in a quick rush. I laughed slightly, smiling at her aggravation at my over eager sister.

"Gr, fine! Spoil sport" Alice stalked away from the table, taking her large wedding book with her. She was grumbling to herself in her head.

"Alice, why don't you and Jasper renew your vows?" Bella called to my sister's retreating form. Alice squealed and I could hear Jasper groan somewhere in the house. I couldn't help but laugh.

"You just made my sister very happy." I whispered into her neck, placing a light kiss on her hot flesh.

"It's a win win situation for her and me. She gets to plan a wedding and she gets off my back." She turned in my lap so that she was facing me. I kissed her nose lightly.

"You're wicked." I dragged my nose along her chin, smelling her sweet aroma as I took in slow steady breaths.

"Where would you like to go own our honeymoon?" She asked softly, her head lulling back slightly.

This question took me aback. I honestly had no idea. I never really thought of a honeymoon. I guess I should have. It made sense. Almost every married couple had a honeymoon sometime during their marriage. "Where ever you'd like to go."

"Actually, I was thinking that we could wait until after the baby was born. Maybe a couple months after. Just a short one, maybe three days. Maybe we could go to Canada. Victoria, maybe?" She was thinking it out right in front of me. I loved watching her as she bit her lip, scrunching up her nose as she thought.

"Perfect." I smiled at the idea. I honestly loved it just because she came up with it. I would be happy with whatever she decided to do.

Suddenly Bella leaned forward and pressed her soft lips to my ear. "I can't wait for you to make love to me."I gulped, trying to swallow back my desire for her, and didn't even realize it. She smiled wickedly at me before standing up. She made her way to the staircase before turning her face towards me with a little smile and a wink. "Coming?"

"Yes, ma'am." I stuttered and got up quickly from my chair, instantly at her side.

She somehow managed to get to the room before I did. I think perhaps I was in a trance as I took heavy steps behind her. When I got to the room she shut the door behind me, standing dangerously close to my body. "That's a mean thing to do." I breathed.

"What?" She questioned innocently, batting her thick eyelashes at me.

"You know exactly what." I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me.

She giggled and smiled. "Well, I can't help it. All I want to do is touch you. I've never felt urges this strong." Her cheeks were a bright crimson with her words. Absolutely delicious.

I began to suckle on her neck. "You know, your libido is suppose to increase during pregnancy." I muttered against her ear.

"Oh, is that it? Are you sure it's not being kissed innumerable times by the world's most handsome man? Because, I think that's what it is." Her fingers clutched at the back of my neck, holding on for dear life. I kissed her pressure point, feeling her pulse throb underneath my lips.

I smiled against her flesh. "Silly girl, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Liar..." She said in a husky whisper. She pressed herself firmly against my body. She ran one of her tiny fingers underneath my shirt, her heat sending a shock through my system. Something else went through my system. Fear. Fear of where this was leading, fear of hurting her, fear of hurting the child.

"Bella, we can't..." I whispered, closing my eyes.

"Why not?" She was pretty much ignoring me, her fingers tickling my sides. Her lips found my neck and began to kiss it.

"I can't hurt you."

"You won't." She sounded so confident. I wish I felt half as confident. A quarter, even.

"I don't have enough control." I swallowed, trying to get the words to come out. Her delicate fingers were now resting on my neck, her lips at my ear as she spoke.

"I trust you."

"Bella..." I whimpered her name. "I can't, not yet. Not right now."

"Why not?" She pulled away from me suddenly and I missed her heat instantly. Bella honestly looked a little angry.

"I want to do this right. You deserve the best." I whispered. I leaned back against the door of her room, taking slow calming breathes. I was filled with so many emotions at the moment that it was overwhelming. I'm not sure Jasper dealt with it.

"You are the best. I'm ready." She sat down on her bed heavily. She flicked on a lamp, filling the room with light. I hadn't even realized that we were in the dark until then. I was just so into it, into her, that I didn't notice.

"It's not just about that, Bella. And, I'm not the best. You deserve so much better than a monster. I need to protect you, from me as well as the world." I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger.

"Ugh! You're not a monster! I wish you'd stop that." She growled at me, throwing her arms into the air furiously.

"If you'd listen I would!" I spat back. I turned quickly, retching the door open, nearly ripping the doors of the hinges. I stomped across the hall to my room to get a minute to think. It was childish and stupid. I knew my behavior wasn't helping anything. I didn't know exactly why I was so frustrated. I couldn't help my feelings though.

I turned the stereo on, probably harder then I should have. I probably broke the button, not that I cared. I turned it to the classical station and flicked the volume up all the way. Toccata E Fuga by Bach was just beginning. I grinned at the sinister sound of the organ blaring in my room.

I knew Bella was standing at the door, I could smell her sweetness. "Appropriate music for a monster, don't you think?"

"Oh, now you're just acting like a child." She spat at me, disgusted.

I turned, looking directly into her frustration filled brown eyes. "I try to protect you and you tell me I'm a child?"

"The only one you're protecting is yourself." Her arms were crossed over her chest, her eyes narrowing on me.

"What do you mean by that?" I came closer to her, practically stalking her with my heavy footsteps.

"Are you afraid to touch me or are you afraid of how I will react?" She questioned, her mouth pressed in a firm, unhappy, line.

"Both! Is that so unreasonable?" I shouted, throwing my arms up into the air. They moved of their own accord.

"Will you touch me when we're married?"

"Of course, don't be silly." I turned and walked towards the window. I peered into the cloudy June sky. I couldn't look at her at the moment.

"Then what does a couple months difference make?" Her voice was quiet and I could only imagine her sad face. I leaned my forehead against the glass, feeling the heat from the outside world soaking in.

"A world of." I said, mainly to myself.

"What difference does a piece of paper make?"

"It's not just the paper. And, to be honest, I'm not sure I'd be able to on our wedding night." I closed my eyes, wishing this conversation away.

"Why?" She walked up behind me. Her hands brushed my shoulder blades, trying to sooth me.

"I'm too afraid." I whispered.

"Why are you afraid?" She dragged her fingers down my lower back, gripping the cloth of my shirt tightly.

"I am afraid that I will hurt the only chance I'll have to be a father." The words came out before I realize what I said, in a broken dry sob. As they left my mouth I realized how true they were. I fell to the floor, landing heavily on my backside. I pulled my knees up to my chest, taking in deep unneeded breathes. I was having a panic attack and there was nothing I could do about it.

Bella knelt beside me. "Oh my god, you really are scared. You're just so strong, it would seem like you'd have nothing to fear..." She trailed off.

"My strength comes from you." I whispered, burying my face in my knees, rocking back and forth.

"We will wait and I will stop pushing you." Her fingers petted the back of my head gingerly, almost as she was afraid to touch me. Like I would crumble to ash in front of her very eyes.

The song changed, Duo Dos Fleurs by Delibles. Beautiful and soft, extremely relaxing. I turned my face towards her and sighed, I leaned over and kissed her lips. I needed to stop myself before it all became too much.

"I want you, more than air, than blood, more than all the gold in the universe. Please, never doubt that." I kissed her again, deepening it for a mere moment before pulling away.

"I know you do. It's just hard to believe." She sat completely on her bottom, her legs spread in front of her. One of her hands rested on the bottom of her stomach. I smiled as I realized how pregnant she really was. She noticed my smile. "What?"

"You're extremely cute." I smiled at her, nodding my head towards her hand. She looked down and blushed.

"It goes there automatically, like I'm trying to keep something from falling." She looked away, peering into the night.

"It's not abnormal." I pulled her onto my lap.

"Says the vampire with self confidence issues." She muttered under her breath. I smirked at her, but ignored her comment. She leaned back, laying her head on my chest. "I love you for it."

**Sigh, oh Edward the drama king. How we love him so. **


	35. Chapter 35

Weeks past. They flew at an amazing pace that even staggered me. Bella grew more round with each passing second and as she did, so did her clumsiness. New bruises, scraps, and scratches seem to appear every day, no matter how many times I caught her.

No one could understand just how much I enjoyed the fact that my birthday passed with very little notice this year. Only Bella gave me a gift. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the cover of the CD, which read "Vampire Weekend." Much to my surprise, I actually liked the band. We spent most of the afternoon listening to the music, Bella dancing playfully to the easy sound, just trying to make me smile. It was hard not to when I was with her.

The first clear day in weeks was coming though. Alice warned us a couple days in advance but we didn't really talk about it until the day before. We were both avoiding the subject.

"I want to go!" Bella argued when I told her I was not comfortable with her going to class without me.

"No. Please understand it's for your own good." I sat down on her bed, putting my hands on my knees. She was pacing a few feet in front of me, angrily, I might add.

"I'm not that bad anymore, Edward. Don't you trust me?" She didn't look at me as she spoke, but at one of the black and white rose paintings that hung on her navy wall.

"Of course I do. I just don't trust everyone else." I tried to take her hand as she passed but she pulled it away. "Bella my love, please don't be so stubborn."

"As stubborn as you?" She growled. Her angry eyes flashed towards me. I held their gaze. I would not back down.

"I want to protect you." I told her in a firm voice.

"You can't stop me from going." She said as she walked towards the door of her room.

"Are you so sure?" I appeared in front of the door almost instantly, my arms barring her passage.

"Edward, stop it." She groaned at me and turned back towards her bed.

"Why can't you just skip class, reschedule therapy and make a long weekend of it? We'll pop firecrackers. I'll get you whatever food humans eat on this holiday. We can go swimming..." I pleaded with her. She put hands on her hips and glared at me harshly. All I wanted to do was spend the fourth of July outside in the sun with her. I wanted to make sure she was safe. I couldn't do that if she was away from me.

"Let me do this. Let me prove it to myself." She said in a small voice.

"I'm not going to change your mind, am I?" I sighed and moved away from the door.

"No. I'll drive myself to therapy and meet you at the house afterwards, okay?" She walked up to me and placed her hands on my hips. She pulled me forward slightly and I let her, closing the distance between us. I placed a tiny kiss on her forehead. I knew I was pouting but I couldn't help it.

"Are you sure?" I sighed, taking in a deep breath. I filled my lungs with her scent. I knew I was going to be missing it very soon and that I needed to be filled with it as much as possible now.

"Not at all, but I want to." She kissed my chin after she spoke. "We can still do all that stuff, I promise. It's going to be a long weekend. I'll stay with you the entire time if you want, just to make up for it." She batted her eyelashes at me playfully. She was obviously happy that she won.

"Like you have a choice." I picked her up and swung her around the room. I guess I couldn't complain if she was happy. She laughed, her grip tightening onto my neck.

"Do you really want to play with fireworks?" She questioned, raising one of her eyebrows at me.

"Emmett and Jasper tend to go a bit overboard with them. I like them, but I don't feel the need to pop them for ten solid hours. They scorched half the lawn last year. Esme had a fit, made them re-manicure the entire thing." I smiled at the memory of last holiday, watching them have a good time. This year I would have a better time of it, too. And, hopefully I wouldn't have to redo the lawn afterwards.

"I can see that." Bella smiled. My eyes flicked over to the clock by her bed. It read 9:30. "It's time to go home."

"I know. But, I want you to stay." I pouted at her playfully. She leaned forward and kissed my lips.

"I'll come over tomorrow right after therapy. If I'm not here by four you can come get me!" She ran her fingers over her cheek before placing a tiny kiss there. "I'm going to head home. Go hunt tonight. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" I asked once again. I'm sure I was becoming way too overprotective.

"I am! Now stop worrying. Go get something to eat. I want to see those beautiful butterscotch eyes of yours tomorrow, got it?" She poked my ribs before releasing me and heading towards the door.

I watched as she walked out. I wondered when did she become stronger? When had her confidence come back? She didn't need me anymore and it scared the hell out of me. Logically I knew she loved me and would not leave me but that other part yelled in my head.

I waited thirty minutes before running to her house to check and make sure she got home okay. I looked in her window and found her already asleep. She was hugging the blue bear I'd gotten her earlier in the year. I smiled to myself. It was such a cute sight.

I ran through the forest and hunted. I didn't want to disappoint her. I fed until I could not taken anymore in and burned the evidence. The sun was beginning to rise in the east when I was through. I decided to go to the woods outside of Bella's house to make sure she was okay. I watched as she left for school alone. She didn't seem nervous or scared. Simply in her own universe, her hand resting on her stomach.

I smiled as I watched her try to get herself into the truck. It wasn't as easy as it was before. I wanted to buy her a new car but when I tried to discuss it with her she had a fit. Maybe now she wouldn't argue as much.

I ran home before the day became brighter. Alice was sitting on the front porch, sunglasses perched on her nose. "Hey there stalker boy!"

"Shut up!" I snorted at her, plopping down beside her.

"It's cute. Really." She giggled at me. _"I honestly do think it's sweet."_

"You're right, though. I'm becoming a stalker." I laid back on the wooden deck.

"No, you want to love and protect her. You have every right to worry. I don't see anything happening to her today. She'll be fine. She won't even cry at therapy, I think." She patted my knee before standing up. _"I've got to work on the wedding a bit more."_

"It's over two months away!" I chided her.

"Well, these things take time!" She giggled before skipping into the house. I shook at my head at my silly sister.

I laid in the same spot for hours, looking out at the warm green grass. I didn't have the drive to move. I closed my eyes, letting my mind wander to the future.

_Bella... _

_Wedding... _

_Birth... _

_Baby Elizabeth... _

_Death... _

_Eternity... _

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Bella asked, standing over me. I jumped, opening my eyes with a snap.

"How the hell did you sneak up on me?" I blurted out, not thinking before I spoke. Bella laughed at my outburst.

"I think you were day dreaming." She smiled brightly. "What were you dreaming about?"

It was time to change the subject. "How was your day?"

"Fine, thank you. What were you thinking about?" She asked again.

"Stubborn." I muttered under my breath. She offered her hand to me, like she'd actually be able to pull me up. I still took it and hopped to my feet. "Just you. You know that."

Bella eyed me curiously for a moment but then shrugged her shoulders delicately. She was going to let the subject slide, I could tell. I sighed in relief, leaning in to kiss her on the lips. "I want to go swimming." She said suddenly.

"Oh, really? That's surprising. I remember a comment about a bloody whale last time I wanted to swim." I grinned at her playfully. She punched my arm lightly, not hard enough to do any damage to herself thankfully.

"Well, I can't wear that one anymore. And, I do look like a whale all the time now. I'm just really uncomfortable and floating in the water just sounds nice." She scrunched up her nose at the word uncomfortable.

"Whatever you wish. Lets go get ready." I smiled at her. I could hear my sisters' thoughts of 'yay swimming!' I laughed to myself, helping Bella up the stairs.

"Go ahead and go outside, I'll meet you there in a little bit." She smiled at me, kissing me on the cheek.

I did as she asked, putting my trunks on quickly. My family was already out by the river, sunning themselves. Alice threw me a bottle of sunblock. "Bella will be burnt if you don't." I nodded. I always forgot the sunblock. It's not like I needed it.

Emmett set up a radio, hooking his I-pod to it. The black eyed peas came on and I rolled my eyes. "What? It has a good beat!" He retorted before I said anything._ "Plus, the girl in there has a nice..."_

"I'm going to tell Rosalie." I smiled at him. He glared at me. Rose and Alice both laughed.

"It's alright. He has a minor crush on her. It's fine." Rose dismissed with a wave of her hand. "Will I. Am isn't too bad either."

"Who does he have a crush on?" Bella asked as she came to the water's edge. She was wearing a navy blue two piece. She seemed more comfortable in this than her last bathing suit. It was slightly loose around her growing stomach with a pair of comfortable shorts. The bump was just about to her belly button now. She'd only gained around ten pounds but it still upset her.

"On you, sexy momma!" Emmett shouted as he grabbed Bella up in a flash and threw her into the water. She squealed, her legs flailing. I swam to her side to make sure she was okay. She came up from the water, her hair plastered to her face. She growled loudly but instead of coming out terrifying, like I'm sure she wanted, it came out extremely cute. Emmett laughed. "You know I love you, Mama."

"Ugh, is that my new nickname?" She asked as she pushed the hair from her face.

"Yup and Eddie is Daddy-o."

I rolled my eyes. "Call me Eddie one more time and see what happens."

"I like Daddy." Bella said, trying to get my attention from my annoying brother. I knew she didn't want us to start a fight tonight. Her hands to my bare shoulders, massaging them gently.

"I like it, too." I brought my hand to her back, bringing her closer to me. Her stomach pressed against mine. The baby kicked, hard. Bella flinched, one eye closing as she bit her lip.

"I WANT TO FEEL!" Alice squealed from across the water. She swam over quickly and placed her hands on Bella's stomach. Bella looked utterly confused and a little flustered.

"She saw a vision that the baby would be kicking for a while." I explained with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Oh, Lizzy! You're going to love karate when you get older! I can't believe you're practicing already." Alice started to talk into Bella's stomach like it would talk back.

"You know, they say that the baby can hear high pitch noises better so that when they come out they recognize the mother's voice. At this rate Al, she's going to know you from a mile away." Jasper said as he grabbed his over eager wife, trying to calm her down with a powerful wave.

"But, I want to feel the baby!" She groaned at him with a pouty bottom lip.

"You're going to have twenty more weeks of it. You have time." Carlisle chimed in from the shore, the amusement clear in his voice.

Bella flopped back into the water. "Twenty... more... weeks... I'm not sure my legs can take it."

I placed my arms underneath Bella in the water, helping her keep a float. "Then I'll carry you."

"I'll be too fat." She moaned. The baby kicked again, making Bella flinch again. "It's so hard today."

"It's just going to get stronger. I'm sorry" I rubbed one of my hands over her stomach. The baby kicked at the pressure.

"Bella, can I feel?" Rose came up slowly so not to scare her. Bella nodded her head and Rosalie placed both hands on her stomach. When the baby kicked and punched at her hands she looked up at me with sad eyes. _"I want a baby." _

"I know, Rose. But, think of it this way... You'll be a great aunt." I smiled sadly at her. She simply shrugged. She leaned down and kissed Bella's stomach.

"We can't wait to meet you." She whispered at Bella's belly button.

"I'm going to have to get use to that, aren't I?" Bella asked, her eyes peering up into mine.

"Yes, you are. Human and vampire alike."

"Great." She said with a little smirk. She closed her eyes again, taking in a deep breath.

"Let's go get mommy food!" Alice called, swimming over to Bella once more. She grabbed her hand and led her to the shore.

Bella looked back at me with pleading eyes. "Save me."

I laughed. "If I could, I would. Enjoy your meal, my love."

She groaned and followed behind my sister. When she came back out she had a plate of random food items, things that didn't make any sense to me. She sat back on a chair that Carlisle brought to the shore for her. Alice sat behind her, rubbing lotion onto her shoulders while she eat.

I came out of the water and sat on the ground next to her. "Whatcha got?" I asked her playfully, trying to earn a smile.

"Let's see... I have some French bread, a slice of cold ham, a little bit of potato salad, a pickle, some cheese..." She pointed at everything one of her fingers. She smiled brightly when she said pickle. I couldn't help but laugh at her eagerness towards food now. "What? Leave my food alone! I don't make fun of your dinner..."

"That's because my dinner would try to injure you first." I wrinkled my nose at the smell.

"Apparently you've never had a raw potato thrown at you." She said with a slight smile.

"You are so strange." I muttered. She giggled, laying back against Alice who was stroking her arms.

_"Go get your wife a glass of milk." _Alice thought directly at me. I got up without a word and went into the kitchen. I pulled out the gallon jug and poured it slowly into the crystal glass.

"Do you really think I'll be a good aunt?" Rose asked me softly, surprising me with the depression in her voice. She leaned against the door frame of the kitchen.

"Of course I do." I smiled at her reassuringly.

"I don't believe you. I'm too selfish." She looked away from me, embarrassed.

"Rosalie Lillian Hale. You've been so kind to Bella. I think you're growing as a person. You are not as selfish as you believe yourself to be." I placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

_"I don't believe you." _She repeated in her head.

"I believe in you, though. I love you, Rose." I hugged her tightly for a moment and kissed her forehead. "Believe in yourself. You are a good person."

"You have to say that, you're my brother." She told me as I walked past her, back to Bella.

"No, I don't. I say it because you're my friend."

**I like Rose in this story. She's portrayed so evilly in some. She's not bad, she's just... in pain, almost. I don't know. I think she'd relate to Bella more after what happened to her. **

**Also, good music in this chapter! I love vampire weekend. Look them up on youtube! **


	36. Chapter 36

We watched my brothers pop fireworks for half the night. Bella rested in my arms, still in her swim suit and me in my trunks. It was so comfortable and relaxed and I loved it. Her head rested on my shoulder and my hand rested on her stomach, rubbing in slow soothing circles. With every loud pop the baby would kick, making my beautiful wife flinch. Bella fell asleep after a while, completely exhausted from her day. The baby kept her up for a while but she was soon too tired to be bothered with it. As we laid outside in the darkness Bella began to talk to her sleep.

"Liz, stop kicking me." She muttered, twisting slightly in my arms.

Carlisle and Esme were sitting next to us on the ground, when Bella began talking Carlisle turned to us. He raised an eyebrow. _"Is she okay?"_

"She always talks in her sleep." I shrugged. "I'm use to it."

"Elizabeth Masen I swear to you... " She flopped over again, slamming her hand hard into my gut. I wondered briefly if she hurt herself, but she didn't wake up so she mustn't have.

_"Elizabeth Masen?" _Esme looked towards me.

"I knew she wanted to use Elizabeth but I didn't know about the Masen part." I smiled down at her, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I like it. I think she should use it." Esme smiled and got up, pulling Carlisle to his feet as she did. "We could call her Macy or something like that."

"Alright grandma." I smiled up at her. She touched my cheek and leaned down to kiss Bella on the top of her head. It was all so loving. This was the best part of being in a family.

"OW! Mother of GOD!" Bella shrieked, her eyes popping open suddenly, making Esme jump back in surprise.

"What's wrong?" I looked her body over frantically, trying to find the invisible injury. I could find none.

"Someone needs to tell her that my kidney's are not punching bags!" She looked down at her stomach, mainly talking to it like the baby would understand.

I sighed in relief, relaxing slightly after the sudden shock. Esme laughed in relief and kissed Bella's hair again. "Goodnight, angels."

"Goodnight Esme, Carlisle." Bella was still looking down at her slightly rounded stomach, her hands resting on her sides. She almost looked concerned.

"Elizabeth Masen, stop kicking your mother." I leaned down and kissed her stomach. Bella blushed, smiling slightly. Then her face changed.

"How did you know I wanted her middle name to be Masen?" Her brows knit together in confusion. I could tell she wasn't completely awake yet. It was adorable to watch

"You were telling her to stop kicking you in your sleep. What were you dreaming about?" I picked her and carried her towards the house. Her head rested against my chest, a soft yawn passing through her lips.

"I was dreaming that we were talking to her to Karate class and she kept wanting to practice on me." Her voice was slurred and her eyes were drooping shut. No, she wasn't awake at all.

"I won't let her kick you, I promise." I smiled to myself as I tried to reassure her in her sleepy state.

Once I got her to her room I laid her down on the bed gently. I pulled out some pajama's for her and laid them on the bed beside her. "Get ready for bed, Bella"

She sat up but her eyes weren't really open. She groaned, searching blinding for the clothes. I kissed her forehead and went to go change myself once she got a hold of them. Carlisle stopped me in the hallway to my room.

"We're all going hunting, do you want to go? One of us wouldn't mind staying with Bella." He offered.

"No, thank you. I'd like to have some time alone with her." I told him, looking back at the door. I could hear her rustling about the room. Carlisle nodded and patted my shoulder before he turned to leave.

_"Happy Fourth of July."_

"To you, as well." I went to my room and changed quickly. By the time I came back to the room Bella was already asleep, her legs curled against her body. I came up behind her and pulled the blanket over her to make sure she stayed warm enough. She squirmed and rolled over. I began to hum her lullaby but she wouldn't stop moving. Finally, her hands went underneath the covers and when they came back up she was holding her pants. She chunked them blindly into the corner. She pressed herself closer to me and hummed.

"Are you okay?" I whispered into her ear.

"I'm hot." She mumbled and practically rolled on top of me. I laid flat and pulled her completely on top, careful to have her not laying on her stomach. She hummed again and fell into an extremely deep sleep.

I ran my fingers over her bare legs and realized that I'd never done that before. I inhaled her scent deeply, enjoying the moment. I knew if we stayed in this position too long though Bella would be stiff in the morning, if not catch a cold.

I waited an hour before moving her to her side, pressing myself against her to keep her cool. We stayed like that for the entire night, Bella neither moving nor speaking. I hoped she continued to dream though, sweet dreams at least.

It was almost noon before Bella woke up. She sat up slowly, pressing her hand to her forehead. She began to slid her legs off the bed but stopped and turned beat red. "I'm not wearing pants."

"You threw them off in the middle of the night. You said you were hot." I couldn't hide the smile that played on my lips. She turned a darker red at my expression.

"Don't be embarrassed. I've seen you in your swim suit." I tried to sooth her. She laid back in the bed, tugging the covers almost to her chin. She looked like a child trying to hide from the boogie man.

"It's different." She muttered.

"How is it different?" I brought my hand underneath the blanket and rested on her hip. I rolled her to her side so she was facing me.

"It just is..." She didn't look at me.

"Don't hide from me. Your body is perfect." I kissed her forehead.

I didn't want to tell her that seeing her like that was amazing and a huge temptation. She sighed and heaved herself from the bed. Bella padded over to the closet and pulled out a pair of shorts. She pulled them up her long bare legs and buttoned them quickly. She grabbed a shirt and I could tell she was contemplating either or not to lock herself in the closet.

She made her choice not to and pulled off her shirt, her back turned to me. She was wearing a bright blue bra which was a big contrast to her flushed pink flesh. She grabbed a navy blue tank top and pulled it on quickly. She turned back to me, her hair in face but I could still tell it was bright.

"Bella, come here." I told her in a firm voice. She nodded and walked towards me. "You are so beautiful." I kissed her lips lightly. She flushed brightly, her eyes downcast. I knew she didn't believe me and I hated that. I wish I could make her believe me. One day I would.

"Where is everyone?" She laid down slowly, sliding onto her back.

"They went to hunt. They'll be back later tonight." I told her, laying on my side as I allowed her to change the subject. My hand automatically went to her stomach. I always wanted to be touching her in some way or the other.

"What would you like to do today?" She asked. She was peering out the window at the clear blue sky, still not looking at me.

"Well, first, we're going to get you fed and then I am your willing slave. I'll do whatever you wish."

"I wish to have oreos for breakfast." She smiled brightly up at me, her grin overly bright.

"No, you're not having lard and sugar for breakfast." I smirked, picking her up. She already had enough bruises, she didn't need anymore from falling down the stairs. That, and I simply enjoyed having her in my arms in this way.

"But, Daddy... I want cookies for breakfast!" She whined playfully. She kicked her legs like a four year old. I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh too much.

"You better stop it before I spank you." I joked with her. Her skin blushed and she bit her lip.

"I think I know what I wish for now...." Bella trailed off in a suggestive tone of voice. She nibbled her bottom lip, her eyelashes fluttering.

"Isabella Marie Swan!" I chided.

She started laughing, throwing her head back. "I'm joking Edward. Well, kind of." She sighed, changing the subject again. "What's for breakfast?"

"How about some fruit and a glass of milk?" I asked, placing her on the island.

"How boring... I guess it'll do." She teased, taking an apple from me. She nibbled on it, taking a sip of milk. Her legs swung from the counter top, reminding me just how young she actually was.

"What do you want to do today?" I asked her.

"Why don't we watch movies?" She took a bite of her apple, part of it shoved into one of her cheeks as she spoke.

"That that's like a great idea to me." I replied, pulling her off the counter top and taking her into the living room.

We watched Labyrinth. A silly little teen movie from the eighties. I had to admit I enjoyed it. Bella sat in between my legs and laughed as I whispered one of the songs in her ear. She really liked my version of "Within you." I was just enjoying making Bella laugh with my cheesiness.

_"Everything! Everything that you wanted I have done! You asked that the child be taken, I took him. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have reordered time! I have turned the world upside down and I have done it all for you! I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me. Isn't that generous?" _I said the line in my worst David Bowie impression, earning a giggle and a smile. It was worth it to act stupid if I got this reaction from her.

"Has anyone ever told you were a nerd before?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in my direction.

"No, that's one thing I've never been called before. Are you calling me a _nerd?_" I said the final word with disdain.

"Maybe..." She said, drawing the word out with a little smile.

I tickled her sides and she screamed, falling back against me laughing. "Stop stop stop! Okay you're not a nerd!"

"Ugh, Edward you're so romantic." Rosalie came inside, rolling her eyes at our display.

"Seriously? Couldn't you have at least done Romeo and Juliet or something?" Alice came in, skipping behind. My family was having too much making fun of me. There thoughts were far worse than the words that were coming out of theirs mouths.

"I liked it!" Bella came to my rescue, kissing my chin lightly.

"I agree with Bella though, you are a nerd." Emmett laughed, throwing something at me. I caught it before it could hit me. I rolled my eyes at the wad of paper and tossed it behind my head. Esme clicked her tongue, picking it.

"Boys are such slobs..." I heard her mutter. Bella laughed, scrambling up to her feet.

"Esme, could you help me with something?" She asked sweetly.

"Anything dear..." Esme came to her side instantly. Bella winked at me and led my mother up stairs.

"What is she up to?" I asked Alice, clicking off the movie. I didn't want to watch it if I wasn't watching it with her.

"I'll never tell." She smiled at me brightly as she sang the words. _"Nerd."_

"I'm not going to live that down for a while, am I?" I plopped back down on the couch, annoyed.

"Your future wife just called you a nerd, what do you think?" Jasper was leaning against the couch, a large smile on his face.

"I'm going to punch you in the nose." I muttered.

"Do it outside, Esme will kill you if you break another coffee table." Carlisle commented as he passed us to sit on the couch. He turned it on to ESPN. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. At times he really was a typical father.

"What are you doing tonight?" I asked, looking over to my father, who was looking at the baseball scores.

"I think Bella has plans for you." He replied, his eyes searching over the numbers. "You don't need me to entertain you, now do you?"

"She didn't say anything." I closed my eyes and laid my head on the back of the couch.

"It's called a surprise. I know you're not use to it." Emmett joked, sitting on the recliner across from us. I sneered at him but he simply smiled. "It just takes time to get use to, Eddie."

_"You better go change..." _Alice thought at me before hopping onto the couch, sitting Indian style. She decided to end our fight before it started which was a good thing.

I hopped up, not uttering another word. I went to my room and changed quickly into a pair of slacks and a button down shirt. I really wasn't sure what she had planned but this seemed the best way to go. I tried to waste a little time so that Bella would have time to finish getting ready whatever she was going to do. I went down the stairs and sat on the last one, my hands resting on my chin. It was frustrating not knowing.

"Edward, do you want to go to the movies with me?" Bella asked from the top of the stairs. She was in a beautiful pale green dress that made her slightly tan skin glow. Her hair was piled loosely at the back of her neck. She wasn't over done with makeup but was naturally beautiful. She wore flat black slip on shoes, making sure to take each stair carefully. I was glad that Alice hadn't gotten to her about heels. She didn't need them in her condition.

"I'd love to." I smiled up at her, simply watching her descending the stairs. It had become a habit between us and I loved it. Every time I watched her come down them I fell in love with her more.

We sat in a comfortable silence the entire ride up to Seattle. Bella's hand rested on my lap, squeezing and stroking my thigh mindlessly. When we parked I turned to her, "what would you like to see?"

Bella didn't say anything but got out of the car. She was trying to stay ahead of me, I could tell but I kept an easy pace with her. When we got to the front she put a hand on my chest, her tone firm and her eyes narrowed. "Stay here."

I nodded, watching her with a huge amount of curiosity. Bella walked up to the box office and simply said. "Mrs. Cullen..."

The girl smiled brightly at her and her eyes flashed to me. It was the same girl from the first night. "Oh, Mrs. Cullen! Don't worry everything is taken care of. It's the same theater as last time."

"Thank you." She smiled brightly. I came to her side and took her hand.

"How did you manage this on a holiday weekend?" I asked her, completely pleased with my soon to be bride.

"Well, as Alice will tell you... money talks. Plus, I reserved it like a month ago." She smiled, obviously also very pleased with herself. I opened the door to the theater for her, allowing her to walk in front of me.

"So, what will we be watching Mrs. Cullen?" I began to kiss her neck lightly, trailing my lips over her warm flesh. I smiled at the memory of what happened here last time. Well, before she became ill.

"You'll see..." She took my hand and led me up to the middle row, right in the center. The lights dimmed as we began to sit. I pulled her onto my lap, my favorite place for her to be. I rested my head on Bella's shoulder.

The movie Harvey came on. I couldn't help but laugh. "Why this?"

"Do you not like it?" She turned, looking a little sad and disappointed. That was not the reaction I was expecting. I wanted to wash that expression away.

"No, I love it. I'm just surprised. I was expecting something like Romeo and Juliet or something romantic like that. I like this though." I kissed her neck again, letting my lips linger on her skin. I loved how she picked out such an interesting classic. "Have you ever seen it?"

"Yes. I use to wish I could see a big rabbit too. Wait... are pookas real?" She turned her head towards me, her face completely serious.

I chuckled, "Not that I know of."

"Damn, that would be fun." She smiled and winked at me to show me that she was just playing.

"You honestly want to see a big rabbit?" I teased.

"Oh yeah! That would be great. The only problem is I'm afraid you'd eat it."

I fought the urge to smack the back of her head, instead I lowered my lips to her ear and whispered, "you're mean. Teasing me that way, tsk tsk."

"You wouldn't be the first one to eat a rabbit." She pointed out with a little mischievous grin.

"Still mean." I pretended to pout.

"What?" She smiled up at me, her face completely playful.

"You're a strange girl, you know that?"

"You love me for it." She stood from my lap and leaned over, kissing my cheek. "I'm going to go get something to drink. I'll be right back."

"Do you want me to go get it for you?" I stood up but Bella waved me back.

"I'm fine, I'll be back in a minute, I promise." She started down the stairs. When she only had a couple more to go she stopped, her hand resting on the railing. Bella's heart rate increased as she began to take one more step. My eyes instantly snapped to her, curious to the sudden change.

She dropped to the ground like a load of bricks, falling sideway and landing on her back. Her eyes were closed, one arm over her head the other pinned under her body. I ran to her side as quickly as possible, which was pretty damn fast. "Bella! Bella, are you okay? Bella!"

**I'm sure there are mistakes here but I'm too tired to read this over again. And by the way, labyrinth is in my top 5 of movies. I wanna do a fic were Eddie is like Jareth, but I'm not sure what I want to do with it. Oh well, too much on my plate as it is.**

**So, is Bella okay?**


	37. Chapter 37

"Ow...." She muttered, rubbing her hip gingerly. Bella rolled over so that she was on her back slowly, sucking in slow and steady breaths. I could tell that she had at the very least knocked the wind out of her.

"Are you okay? Is anything broken? What happened?" The questions came out of my mouth so fast she really didn't have time to answer them. She brought her hand up to her face and rubbed her cheek that she had landed on. It was slightly red but I don't think she'd be bruised. It had been a rather slow fall.

"I'm alright, I'm just dizzy. I don't know what happened. One minute I'm fine and the next I'm laying on the ground." She tried to sit up but I forced her back down with a gentle nudge. She allowed me to do so, surprisingly, one of her hands resting on her stomach.

"Does anything hurt?" I felt along her ribs then her hips to check if she had done any damage. Her arms appeared to be fine and I couldn't smell any blood at all. That was a good sign.

"I'm fine. I think I busted my butt but other then that." She tried to sit up again but this time I let her do so, slowly. She sat for a minute, her legs sprawled in front of her and her dress gathered at her hips. She rubbed her hand along her hip, trying to massage the aching away.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." I picked her up bridal style as gently as possible as I spoke. This was becoming a strange habit at the movies. If this was going to happen every time I wasn't going to let her out of the house.

"No, I just fell. I do it all the time!" She cried, tears welling up in her beautiful brown eyes.

"No, you fainted. There is a difference. Something is wrong. You just don't faint for no reason. You've got to see a doctor." I told her in a firm voice.

"Then take me to Carlisle. Please? If he says anything is wrong I'll go to the hospital." Tears were starting to fall down her cheeks, leaving salty trails down her flesh. She really didn't want to go to the hospital. I couldn't blame her for it. I'd be scared of that place as well if I was her. Just look what happened to her while she was there last time and the time before.

"Fine. But, if he says a single hair is out of place you're going." I caved. I shouldn't have. It was the tears. I couldn't stand her tears.

She nodded, pressing her face against my chest and taking a deep breath. I kissed the top of her head as put her in the car carefully. I buckled her up, making sure to put it in the perfect spot so not to upset the baby in anyway. I kissed the top of her stomach lightly before shutting the door and running to the other side.

I was grateful that she didn't fall asleep the ride home. Bella didn't speak though and I constantly stole glances to make sure she was okay. I would have stared constantly if she hadn't told me to keep my eyes on the road several times, just this trip alone. She hated how I drove I know but I didn't care. I sped through the fading light of twilight towards our home. I would have gone faster if she allowed me to.

Carlisle was waiting for us on the porch, much like the last time. I sighed gratefully when I saw him.

_"Alice saw that she was about to faint." _He opened the door for Bella. I unbuckled the seat belt, freeing her from her uncomfortable restraints. "How are you feeling?" My father asked, already starting the assessment in his head.

"A little dizzy and a bit tired." Bella spoke as Carlisle helped her out of the car. He took one of her arms and led her up the stairs. He took her into his study and helped her carefully sit on the couch.

Without anymore questions he began to look over her more fully. He checked her pulse and blood pressure which was all normal. He felt along her stomach for tender spots. There were none. I waited impatiently in the doorway for him to finish. "Have you felt any pains?"

"No, well I mean my rear hurts now but that's not too strange." She smiled weakly as she tried to lighten the moment.

"Yes, we all know how you are." Carlisle smiled at her reassuringly. "What have you eaten today?"

"Oh my god, I'm an idiot..." I muttered to myself, rubbing my forehead as I realized the problem.

_"Forget to feed the human, did we?" _Carlisle's eyes flicked over to me for a moment, a disapproving look on his face.

"I had an apple for breakfast and a glass of milk..." Bella began but stopped.

"Have you eaten since then?" Carlisle's eyes flicked over to me again, his face disapproving.

"No. I just haven't thought about it." Bella looked down, her curtain of hair falling in front of her face. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Isabella. But, I want you to start eating more regularly. Three meals a day and two snacks, okay? It's better for you and the baby." Her took her hand and rubbed it with his own._ "Go get her something to eat __**now**__."_

I went into the kitchen instantly and Alice was already there, putting things on a tray. A turkey sandwich and chips, a large glass of milk and a banana. I took the tray from her. "Thanks." I muttered.

"Oh, she's not mad at you Edward. She's a little mad at herself for being so careless, but other then that..." A vision of Bella fussing at herself in a bathroom mirror after a shower appeared in Alice's mind. I sighed and shrugged. I didn't matter. It was still my fault. I should have taken better care of her. She was my life. I shouldn't have been so careless.

"I should be more careful." I walked away before she could answer. I went up to the study and placed the tray beside Bella. "Is this okay, my love? If you want anything different just let me know. I'll get you whatever you want..."

Bella placed a hand on my mouth and leaned forward, kissing my forehead. "It's perfect, thank you."

"Bella, if you feel any pain at all I need you to go the hospital straight away. It's not uncommon for pregnant women to faint or fall but we still have to make sure you're okay." Carlisle was sitting beside her, he was still holding her hand I realized. _"Poor girl, she's so worried." _

Her tiny hands were shaking. I don't know if it was from being scared or because she hadn't eaten. I pried her fingers off of Carlisle's hand and gave her a piece of the sandwich. She took it slowly and brought it to her lips. She looked a bit green honestly and I hoped she kept it down. She didn't need to be sick now as well.

Bella ate everything on her plate and even asked for more. I would have gone to China for actual Chinese food if she asked me to. It didn't feel like enough to just go to the kitchen to fetch some juice and another sandwich. I sat on the floor in front of her, looking at my feet. I felt like a horrible boyfriend._ I was a horrible boyfriend. _

I was going to be a horrible father. How could even think that was possible? I'd forget to feed the poor thing and it would starve to death. I was so thoughtless and careless. I shouldn't be allowed around Bella or her daughter.

"Hey princess! There you are!" Emmett came into the room and sat down in front of Bella, beside me on the floor.

"Hey Em..." She mumbled through a bit of sandwich, which was shoved into her mouth.

"I've never met anyone that's ever forgotten to eat." He teased her, a small smile on his face. She kicked a foot him though not really making an effort to try to hit him but it made him laugh.

"I'm kind of absent sometimes. I was going to go get something at the time." She rolled her eyes at his behavior.

"Well, you need to be careful. I can't be around all the time to pick you up." Her patted her foot and she kicked again in his direction. I couldn't see how they were being so cavalier about all this.

Bella finished her sandwich, brushing her hands together. She sighed and smiled slightly, a serene expression on her lovely face. "I feel better."

"You should! I think you took out a deli." Emmett teased. Bella laughed and pushed his shoulder with her foot. He grabbed her ankle and pulled her onto his lap as gently as possible. She threw her head back in laughter and pushed his shoulder again, but this time with her hand.

"Please be careful." I mumbled in a low tone. Bella turned her eyes towards me, her laughter stopped. Emmett looked at me with confused eyes.

_"Mistakes happen. If you worry about them constantly you'll never really live."_ He thought, holding my gaze for a minute. He turned her eyes back towards Bella and began to tickle her sides. "What bro, afraid she likes me better than you?"

"Edward! Rescue me!" She cried, giggling. I pulled her quickly from his lap and onto my own. I leaned my face into her hair, taking in her sweet scent. She turned to face me. "I'm alright. Please don't act like this."

"Act like what?" I kissed her shoulder lightly. I was trying to hide my expression from her. I was never really that good at it. Not when it came to Bella. She read me so well.

"Like someone just stole your puppy. She's fine. Goodness, Bella falls all the time. I thought you'd be use to it by now." Emmett joked, standing up.

"Oh Em, be nice." Bella kissed my forehead. It was amazing that my human girlfriend was protecting me from my vampire brother.

"Well, if you need a real man, you know where to find me." Emmett joked, winking playfully at Bella. She giggled and smiled brightly at him.

"Yeah, getting a lecture from Rosalie about flirting with humans. I don't have to be Alice to see that coming." Bella's smile was like a fire, warming me. I leaned my head into her hair and breathed in deeply again. I kissed her ear lightly, savoring every part of her.

_"Ugh, go get a room." _He chuckled in his head before leaving.

"Edward, take me to my room, please."

"Yes, my love." I whispered before standing. I carried her quickly to her room, laying her on the center of the bed. I sat at the edge, closing my eyes for a moment.

"You seem tired." She had lifted herself behind me, on her knees. She began to massage my shoulders. I leaned back into her, enjoying the sensation of her hands on me, even if I didn't deserve it.

"In a fashion, yes. I'm just worried."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you." She pulled back, sitting back on her hunches.

"It's not your fault. It's mine, I should have made sure you were fed and..."

"Edward Cullen, I'm not a dog! I'm a human. It's my own fault if I forget to eat. You should never worry about that." She pulled my face so that I would look at her. "It's not your fault."

"But, I should have made sure..."

"Am I your pet?" She asked in an angry tone.

"Of course not, Bella." I said in a quiet voice before I turned my eyes away. I couldn't hold her gaze right now.

"Then let me worry about those kind of things. Please?" She leaned in, pressing her face into my neck. She trailed kisses along my jawline, a burning fire spreading through my veins with every touch.

"I'm going to be a horrible father..." I muttered under my breath. Bella then did something that surprised me. She slapped the back of my head with as much force that she could muster. I'm sure if I were a human the force would have knocked me to the floor.

"If you EVER say anything like that again..." Her voice was firm and harsh as she trailed of in warning.

"Come now, did you ever think it would be otherwise? I am a monster." I stood up from the bed, my back to her.

She screamed ear shatteringly loud. Bella got up from the bed and stomped towards the door. Alice was waiting for her on the other side.

"Alice... can you...." She growled, not giving me a second glance.

"A ride home? Sure." Alice took Bella's hand and shot me a death glare. _"You fucked up."_

"Bella, I'm sorry. Wait, please." I went down the stairs in front of her. She pushed past me with the help of Alice. I followed them outside. My brothers were playing with fireworks again. They both stopped dead and looked at what was going on.

"What did you do?" Emmett asked out loud.

_"She is pissed..." _Jasper thought to himself.

"Which one?" I cried to him, throwing my arms up into the air.

"Both!" He answered with a smirk.

I growled and followed the women into the garage. Rosalie was inside, working on her BMW. She stopped, taking in the scene in front of her.

"What did you do?" She turned toward me. I snarled at her.

I stood in front of the door of the jeep, standing directly in Bella's line of sight. "Isabella... look at me..."

"You want to be a monster! Fine! Be a monster. I'll play the perfect little damsel in distress and run from you! That's obviously what you want!" She screamed at me. Her face was purple and her heart rate was a million miles an hour. I had never seen her this angry before. It was a little frightening to be honest.

"That's not what I want!" I yelled back. She flinched, turning her face from me.

"Well... You're either a monster or my fiancé. You can't be both." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, one hip cocked to the side. "Pick one."

"I want to be with you." I whispered, ashamed at myself.

"Stop acting like the victim then. You have life when you could be long since dead. You have a girl who loves you, who's willing to give up the world to be with you. She loves you so much that it tears at her heart when she can't be with you. She loves you so much that she wants you to be the father of her child. You have a family that loves you and is willing to put up with your over dramatic crap. Stop it before you make yourself unhappy! Because that's what is happening here. You make yourself unhappy. The glass isn't half empty, Edward!" She said in a harsh rush of words but everyone of them was confident. Her eyes burned with passion. I believed every single word.

"Amen, sister." Rosalie and Alice said in the same time. It would have been comical if it hadn't been horrible timing.

I snarled at them and Bella got impatient at my lack of words. She turned and went back towards the house. Emmett grabbed her up in his arms.

"Okay little angry human girl, calm down before you hurt yourself"

"Emmett, put me down! This isn't going to make me feel better!" Her legs flailed wildly but her arms were pinned to her sides.

"What would make you feel better then?" He asked in completely seriousness.

"Deck Edward for me." She growled, throwing an angry glare in my direction. "I can't seem to him hard enough to get any sense into that thick skull of his!"

"Alright." He dropped Bella to her feet and moved towards me. _"You better stay will or I will make this worse." _

"You are not going to punch me!?" I cried and it came out more as a question. I backed up, looking for a place to escape but I was cornered in the garage. However this ended, it was not going to be pretty.

"Damn straight I am. You have it coming." He was pushing up his sleeves in a very cliché manner then balled up his fist. "Where do you want me to punch him, Bells? Nose or jaw?"

"Jaw." She said with a smirk on her face.

"Bella, you don't honestly want him to punch me, do you?" I asked her. I was hoping she'd call him off of me. She'd be the only one to at this point. I may have been faster, but he was bigger. I had no route of escape.

"No, I'm pretty sure she does." Jasper stood beside Bella. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She relaxed slightly and leaned into his side. He was sending waves of calm, but she was still extremely angry.

My eyes flashed to my family's face. Oh god, I fucked up. By ticking off Bella I had brought them all against me. I should have known better.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I shouted as Emmett's balled fist went back, preparing to punch me. "Bella, I love you. I want to marry you. I want to be the father of this baby. I promise I'll never say that again. CALL EMMETT OFF!" I shouted the last part.

"Em, stop please." Bella said in a small voice. I relaxed slightly. Emmett backed away, looking rather disappointed.

"Don't upset my little sister and my niece." He glowered at me. I pushed past him and went towards Bella.

"I'm so sorry, please forgive me. It's been a rough night. Please?" I dropped down onto my knees in front of her. I knew it was dramatic but I didn't care in the least. I would always crawl on my knees if it made her happy.

"Edward, don't get on your knees. You're going to ruin your pants." She said, looking away from me. I stood up quickly, placing my hands on her shoulders.

"Forgive me." I whispered.

"You know I do. I can't stay mad at you for forever. I just want to be mad for a bit, okay?" She looked down at her feet which she was having more and more trouble seeing as of lately.

Alice had finally decided to make her presence known again. She pushed me out of the way and took Bella's hand. Rose came beside her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Come on sweetie, let's go get you some ice cream. My treat." They walked Bella to Rosalie blood red BMW and helped her in.

_"We will be home in sixty three minutes. Get your act together!" _Alice glared at me before sliding into the back seat. Rosalie hopped into the drive side, sending me much the same look. Before I could say anything they were gone, blasting out of the garage at full speed.

I turned to talk to my brothers but I felt a fist collide with my jaw before a single word could be uttered.

**Once again, too tired to check over again for mistakes. Sorry. Hope it's not too bad.**

**Okay, the whole thing with Bella's reaction. She's pregnant. Let me tell you, that explains everything. The others, well, everyone sides with a pregnant woman. It doesn't last after the pregnancy. But, when a pregnancy is so... _anticipated_... as this one, they put you on a pedestal. This baby is important to all of them. DO NOT PISS OFF THE BABY MAMA! **

**Now, who punched our drama king?**


	38. Chapter 38

"Ow! Dammit Jasper, why did you do that?" I rubbed the tender spot along my jaw that my brother created. It didn't hurt that badly and it would not hurt for more than a few seconds but it was still a surprise.

"Because, you're an idiot." He hissed at me viciously. "I never want to feel her feel like that again! Do you know how happy she was earlier? Do you know what it's like to feel such a drastic change? It's no damn fun! It's already hard enough to practically live with a pregnant hormonal teenager without your damn help!"

"I'm sorry... I just..." I fumbled with the words, stuttering over them. They didn't want to seem to come.

"Why you telling me 'I'm sorry'? I don't want to hear it. You better make her feel a whole lot better." Jasper's accent was heavy as he spoke. His southern gentlemen was coming out. "Or she's going to be miserable, and if she is, I'm going to make sure you are as well."

"What do I do?" I sighed in defeat. "How do I fix this?"

"Go get her something. Go get her flowers. Go get her candy. Go get a card that says 'I'm sorry I had my head up my ass'" Emmett chimed in, his thick arms crossed over his chest.

"Bella isn't so vain to be bribed with a gift." I leaned against the Volvo, ignoring his crude comment.

"No, but that'll at least soften her up enough to let you gravel for forgiveness." Jasper said, his accent still strong. "She is the best thing you've ever had. You need to stop screwing it up with your stupidity. You better beg her forgive you completely."

"Do you think she will?" I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to think.

"She will. Bella already has, but you just... Just go do something to make it up to her." Jasper looked at his watch. "You've got about fifty five minutes so you better head out so you can get back before she does."

I didn't say anything but got into my car. It was just about nine at night and the only place that would be open was the twenty four hour drug store. Not to mention it was the fourth of July.

I went down the aisles of the store, looking for something to make up for being an idiot. I felt like more of an idiot for wondering the drug store to find something for a woman who made me feel alive and loved. She deserves more than a drug store gift. She deserves the world.

Something finally caught my eye. I stopped and stared at the items for a moment. I grabbed several things and placed them into a basket. I also bought a large bag and some tissue paper. The store clerk gave me an odd look but didn't say anything. Out loud, at least.

I sat in my bedroom, arranging my purchases in the bag. I wrote a small note, folding it in half. I went to Bella's room and set the gift in the center of her bed. I placed the note in front of it. It was simple and not enough. Not nearly enough. All the piece of paper said was 'I love you, Bella and I love Elizabeth, too."

I waited in my room for her to return. I listened as my family returned, hearing them descend to different parts of the house. I listened to the dual heart beats as they came closer. She stopped right in front of my door, placing a hand on it. She did not linger though and went to her own room. Bella shut the door quietly behind her.

I could hear the rustling of the the note and of the tissue paper as she pulled out my gift. I could hear her tears splashing down her cheeks, even with two doors between us.

"Edward..." She whisper my name but I would have heard it from a mile away. I didn't know if she wanted me to come to her or not. I was torn. I stood up and went to the door, listening and waiting for more.

She started to cry harder and I decided I didn't need to hear more. I went to her door and knocked. "May I come in?"

She ran to the door, her bare feet rustling against the carpet. She pulled the door open and wrapped her arms around my neck. I picked her up, my arms around her waist. She pressed her lips against mine her tears still flowing. Her feet dangled off the ground but she didn't seem to notice or mind.

"I love it. Thank you." She whispered against my lips. I smiled and kissed her fully again.

Slowly I placed her back down on her feet. She had the assortment of baby things arranged on the bed. Homeopathic lotions and shampoos, a set of pink baby bibs, a small single plastic purple pacifier, a set of tiny baby bottles and even a tiny comb and brush set that was silver. I knew if I bought her a gift it would most likely make her angrier but a gift for her child, for our child, would be different.

"If you don't like any of it I can return it. I wasn't sure if any of this was right..." I muttered through quickly but she pressed her lips against mine.

"Thank you." She sighed, laying her hand on my chest.

"I'm so sorry. I don't want to upset you. Ever." I dragged my fingers down her back, holding her close to me.

"It's okay. I shouldn't have gotten so upset. I just don't want you to think of yourself like that." Her arms wrapped around my waist, one of her fingers scratching up and down my spine pleasantly. I leaned my face into her hair and kissed it.

"It's so hard not to." I told her honestly. "I've made so many mistakes."

"You're only human." She said pressing her face into my chest.

"If only I were."

"You are more humane than most humans. Don't ever doubt yourself." She looked up at me, passion burning in the deep chocolate pools that were her eyes.

"Thank you." I whispered, leaning down to kiss her lips. Before I could reach them there was a loud knock on the door.

"Come on! We're going to pop some firecrackers!" Emmett yelled through the door. Bella laughed and took my hand.

"Lets go before he decides to come in here." She smiled at me, pulling me through the door.

"But I don't want to!" I pouted and she laughed again. I loved her laugh, it made my heart feel like it was beating again.

"So, did Emmett hit you after I left?" Bella teased, a small smile playing on her full lips.

"No, actually, Jasper did."

Bella threw her head back in laughter. I tugged on a strand of her hair and she laughed harder. I picked her up and carried her down the stairs to be with my family.

My family. What a wonderful thought.

The rest of July flew by in no time. At nearly twenty four weeks Bella stomach had become extremely rounded and high. It looked like she was carrying a soccer ball underneath her shirt. They did finally bring her therapy down to once a week, on Wednesday. We always spent Wednesdays with Charlie now. Everything was becoming a blur of wedding, school, and doctor's appointments. Poor Charlie got left behind somehow.

"Ugh, I'm fat. I can't see my feet, which by the way are swollen, my stomach itches and I'm pretty sure she's already training to be a kick boxer." Bella complained as she paced in the kitchen, her hands on her back. She was starting to get to a point where she wasn't comfortable sitting for any period of time, even if she wanted to.

"You're not fat. You're pregnant." Charlie said through a mouth full of pizza. We had learned very quickly that Bella was losing her ability to cook without bumping into something or dropping it. I was not going to allow her to burn herself attempting to do something silly like make a grilled cheese.

"I think you look adorable." I smiled at her and she growled at me.

"She's gotten cranky lately, have you noticed that?" Charlie's eyes flicked over to me. We had somewhere along the way came to an understanding. He didn't like me but he didn't like seeing Bella mad. Plus, he thought I was doing a good job of taking care of her. I pursed my lips together to keep from laughing. Bella shot her father an evil look.

"Bella, my darling. I'm sorry. I know you're uncomfortable. If I could do something about it I would." I got out of my seat and took her hands. She sighed, pouting slightly.

"She usually stops kicking if I'm walking around. I don't know why she won't slow down for a bit." She whined.

I dropped down to my knees in front of her and lifted her navy blue shirt up over her round belly. I pressed a gentle kiss on her now slightly raised belly button. "Elizabeth, stop kicking your mother." I spoke into stomach. Bella laughed, my breath tickling her flesh. I placed my hands on either side of her exposed stomach, feeling the baby kicking was always amazing to me. I loved it. "Be a good girl before your mother gets too crabby."

I looked up to see Bella smiling down at me. Her heart beat was slightly increased from her slight discomfort but it slowed down to a normal pace. I met her eyes, holding her deep chocolate gaze, and a smile spread on my own face.

The vision. It hit me like a tidal wave. This was the vision Alice saw. My smile grew bigger, I leaned in and pressed my forehead to her stomach. I closed my eyes and listen to my dual heart beats and the swishing noises of the baby.

_"He really does want to be the father." _I heard Charlie think behind me. It snapped me out of my bubble and I stood, taking Bella's hands back into my own.

"Maybe she'll be good now." I leaned in and kissed her cheek.

Bella fell into a deep sleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow that night. I pressed my body close to hers as she laid on her side. She had trouble sleeping through the heat of the summer and only seem comfortable enough when she had her own personal air conditioner, me, close to her. I smiled at the thought and kissed her neck in her sleep. She still needed me.

We barely had a month left of school. Mike said little to either of us in that time. He just felt so uncomfortable around poor Bella. He didn't know what to do. He himself had never been a pregnant women before.

That Thursday afternoon we waited in the doctor's office for Dr. Vox. Bella was laying flat on the table, her hands rubbing her stomach.

"It ITCHES!" She growled, rubbing her stomach faster. I laughed and lifted her shirt up. I slowly stroked her skin knowing how the cool of my flesh eased the burn of the itch.

Her eyes rolled back into her skull and she tilted her head back. I couldn't help but chuckle. "You look like a cat who's getting it's belly rubbed."

"I see you're having some problems with skin irritation." The doctor smiled at us as we came in. "It's very _very_ common." She went to the cabinet and grabbed a sample of some sort of cream. "This should help. You can get it at any store." She handed over to me.

"Thanks." I smiled at her, grateful to find some sort of relief for Bella.

"Today we're going to doing a test to make sure you aren't diabetic. If you are, which is not uncommon in pregnancy, it's better to know now. We can control it either with pills, shots and with diet. What I need you to do is drink this." The doctor pulled out a bottle of some sort of orange liquid. She poured a great deal of it into a cup. I could smell the sugar from five feet away. She handed Bella the cup. "In an hour we'll check to see where your blood sugar levels are at. Until then we'll work on the regular check up."

Bella drank it down, making a horrible face as she went. She coughed when she was done, waving a hand in front of her face. "It taste like orange soda with orange pixie sticks stirred in. If you wanted me to have that much sugar you could have just given me five jelly donuts and been done with it."

I couldn't help but laugh. I turned my face away from Bella, who was deadly serious. Dr. Vox smiled and handed Bella a cup of water. "As much as you would have enjoyed that, this is actually better for you."

"I'd rather have donuts." Bella muttered under her breath.

The doctor checked Bella's weight to see how much she gained. Bella groaned when she found out that she had almost gained eighteen pounds. I knew better than to say that was in normal range. She measured his stomach and tested her blood pressure. But this time she did something she hadn't done before. She placed a microphone on Bella's stomach and moved it around until she found what she wanted. The thumping heart beat of Elizabeth echoed through the room.

"It's so fast..." Bella said softly.

"It's suppose to be, my love. Baby's heart beats are faster than adults." I soothed her hair.

"It's a nice steady heart beat." The doctor said with a smile before pulling the machine away. "Alright, I'm going to come check on you in about thirty minutes. I'd like you to both stay in here. If you become dizzy or anything please come get me right away."

And then we were alone in the harsh light of the exam room. I heard the faint gasp beside me and looked down to see tears rolling down her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" I took her hand.

"I'm going to have a baby." She began to cry harder.

"Yes, you are my love. I thought you realized that by now. You've seen the ultrasounds... you can feel her kicking..." I leaned down over her, kissing her forehead.

"But, I don't know! I... I'm scared." She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

"That's normal. Don't worry. I'm here for you." I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her lips lightly.

"Do you promise?" She asked in a weak voice.

"In less than two months you will be mine for forever. I will love you and this child until the end of time." I whispered. I brought her head up to mine and kissed her lips deeply.

We didn't speak much after that point. Bella laid in silence, stroking her fingers against her belly as she thought. Her lips pursed together, making her look as if she was pouting.

The doctor knocked before entering. She came in carrying several things. A small blue bucket holding needles, swabs, gauze and band aids along with a small machine. "How are you feeling, Bella?"

"Fine." Bella sat up, straightening her back. I went to her side, placing a hand on her back to keep her upright. I knew it wasn't the easiest thing for her to be right now.

"Okay, what we're going to do is poke your finger until you bleed and then I'm going to take a drop of it and put it on this machine. It will tell me if your blood sugar is high or not."

Bella nodded and looked extremely green. I leaned into her and whispered softly so only she could hear. "It's fine. I can tell."

She turned and raised an eyebrow at me. I shrugged my shoulders. I could simply smell it, she knew that I could tell. She nodded but didn't move her eyes from mine. The doctor took her hand and pricked her pointer finger on her left hand.

I could smell the blood, hot and delicious on her radiant skin. I inhaled deeply and I knew my nostrils flared at the amazing scent. Venom pooled in my mouth but I swallowed it back. I would have to go hunting tonight. Bella's eyes never flickered from mine. She should have been scared but she wasn't.

The doctor dripped the blood on the testing strip and stuck it into the machine. It took less than thirty seconds for it to get a reading.

"107! Prefect. That's right where we want it to be! That's a good sign. If you haven't developed it by now you probably won't. But, just to make sure I'm going to continue to test in the future." The doctor smiled and handed Bella a piece of gauze and a bandage. "We'll see you in a month, okay?"

Bella held the gauze to her finger, not looking at it, as we walked to the car. Once we were both in the car I took her left hand and began to kiss it.

"Edward, what are you doing?" She asked in a soft sweet voice. Her heart rate is increasing.

"I'm testing something of my own." I murmured against her palm. I kissed it gently. I brought each finger to my lips carefully until I reached her pointer finger. It had stopped bleeding but there was still blood on the tip. I brought it slowly to my lips, tasting her blood. There was venom but no monster. I moved my lips to her thumb, kissing her delicate flesh until turning her hand over to kiss the top.

"How was your experiment?" She said with a slight smirk, watching me.

"Delicious. Do you know how good you taste?" I smiled before leaning in, kissing the crook of her neck. She sighed and leaned her head to the side.

"That could have been dangerous." She whispered, her eyes closing as I kissed down her shoulder.

"I was in completely control." I answered back before leaving one final kiss on her cheek.

"Then why are your eyes the color of coal?" She asked, leaning into me. Her eyes entranced mine and I leaned forward, kissing her lips deeply. "Hunt tonight." Bella breathed as I pulled away.

I nodded and started the car. I needed a cold shower all of a sudden. The mix of her kisses, her flesh and her blood was swirling in my mind, causing me to desire her in so many ways. Maybe the monster hadn't been completely shut away.

**After I post this I'm going to bed! I'm sick, pouts. Sorry if there are any mistakes. **

**By the way, I'm on twitter now at Jayeliwood. Come tweet me.**

**Edward did a very stupid thing testing it like that. But, the results turned out well, or did they?**


	39. Chapter 39

I didn't drive towards our home but her father's house. Bella noticed almost right away that we were not going the right direction.

"Where are we going?" She questioned. She didn't seemed frightened but curious. It was wonderful that she trusted me so much, though I'm not sure she should have or not. Especially right now with the way I was feeling.

"I want to be alone with you. Is that okay?" I moved my hand from the steering wheel to her knee, massaging it gently through her clothing.

"Of course. That sounds lovely." She smiled back at me, her eyes so innocent.

I pulled into the drive way and nearly leaped out of the car. I opened the door for Bella and carefully helped her out. She giggled at my eagerness. I picked her up not willing to wait for her slow human pace. Normally I didn't mind but I wanted to be completely alone and closed off from the world in less than ten seconds. I went to the front door and opened it with the hidden key. It didn't take a full fifteen seconds for us to be inside, the door relocked and for me to be placing Bella on her bed up stairs. I laid above her careful to no pressure on her what so ever. I may have wanted her, but I was not going to be careless.

I didn't give her time to question or speak, though I'm sure she wanted to. I ravished her lips with kisses, enjoying her hot moist lips under mine. Her fingers knotted in my hair, bringing me closer. I rolled to her side, never breaking our kiss. She came with me, resting on her right side so that she was facing me. I hitched her leg over my hip, my hand sliding down her thigh as I did so. She gasped against my mouth but I did not stop.

I moved my mouth from her lips to her neck, giving her time to breath at least a little bit. Her heart was beating wildly, sputtering and skipping as I tasted her flesh. My heart would be doing the same thing if it beat. As it were, I was on fire.

"Um... uh... Edward... would... this... have to do... with... earlier..." She breathed, stuttering as I brought a bit of her flesh into my mouth to suck on. If I wasn't carefully I was going to leave a hicky. I'm not sure if I cared or not.

"I just need to feel you right now." I whispered into her ear. I ran my tongue from her earlobe to the nape of her neck. I pushed her shirt back slightly and kissed the newly bare flesh.

"I don't... mind.. if it is..." She moaned, closing her eyes. Her hands went to the collar of my shirt and she tugged at it. I allowed her to move my face from her neck to her lips once again. I devoured them hungrily. I would have to hunt tonight for sure. My throat was on fire but I couldn't care less at the moment. I was in heaven.

"Smelling you so sweet made me want to taste you." I breathed, letting my breath fan over her face. She breathed in deeply, her head lolling back her eyes squinting they were closed so tightly.

We kissed like this for over thirty minutes. The heat in the room was becoming quite noticeable to me so I knew that Bella must have been warm. A light sheen of sweat covered her forehead and neck. I ran my tongue over the saltiness just below her chin. "Are you hot, Bella?"

"More than you will ever know." She breathed, her eyes still closed. I smiled against her skin at her words.

"Would you like to stop?" I lifted up some, leaning on my arm so that I could look down at her.

She shook her head and I smiled at her brightly. I placed my hand along her back, underneath her shirt hoping to keep her cool enough. "Does that help?"

She nodded slowly and leaned into me. We kissed, my hands slowly exploring her flesh underneath her shirt. I never touched her bra and what it held, but I touched everywhere else. I kept my hands moving so that I wouldn't make one spot too much cooler than the others.

When Charlie was about two miles away I could hear his thoughts. He was thinking about dinner and sports, nothing unusual. "Dad's going to be home soon." I commented against her shoulder before kissing it.

"So..." She whined, her lips pouting. I brought them into one last deep kiss. She moaned into mouth. "Don't go. Don't stop."

"Spend time with your dad tonight. I'll go hunting and I'll keep you cool tonight." I smiled against her mouth. I loved how much she wanted me. I wanted her just as badly. Probably worse.

"Fine. Go." She uttered in defeat. "If you must."

"I love you, Isabella Cullen." I whispered into her ear.

"I love you, too." She closed her eyes and leaned her cheek against mine.

Before I could be tempted to stay anymore than I already was, I was out of the window and in my car. I sped away just in time to keep Charlie from seeing me. He would get a pleasant surprise when he realized that Bella was home alone for a change. It was so rare now a days.

I hunted alone for a few hours. The heat was stifling tonight, especially for being in Washington. The air was thick and humid with no breeze. I knew Bella would be uncomfortable tonight.

I returned to Bella that night around eleven, showered and in clean clothes. I climbed to her window, which was held open for me like always. I peered inside. Bella's back was turned away from the window. The lights were off but she wasn't asleep, not completely. I could tell by her breathing. I smiled at how cute she was in her Capri pants and tank top. I silently went inside, quietly kicking my shoes off. I slid in behind her.

She gasped when my skin touched hers. "Did I frighten you?"

"No, just surprised." She snuggled closer to me. She tried to hide a yawn but it was impossible. I began to hum her lullaby. She mewed softly, pressing closer to me. I stroked her arms, feeling her hot skin with each pass.

Though she seem content to fall asleep, she was restless. She rocked and squirmed in place, her arms moving slightly. She turned over onto her other side with a huff. "Ugh! This is ridiculous." I heard her mutter underneath her breath. She sat up a little and yanked the tank top over her head. She tossed it to the floor and pressed against me again.

I remained completely still as she forced her body as close to mine as possible. I'm not sure if it was the hardness of my body or the coolness of my skin but it shocked Bella completely awake. She sucked in a huge gasp but not before turning a bright shade of red that was even visible in the dark.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. She turned over with one arm covering her breast, which were still covered by a bra, and searched blindly for her shirt.

"Don't be." I whispered back. "You don't have to put it on if you don't want to."

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable." Her other arm pressed against her chest, covering herself.

"Bella, you are completely uncomfortable right now. I know you must be so warm. Let me do this for you." I ran my fingers over her cheek. "I promise to be a gentlemen."

She nodded slowly and rolled over close to me. Her arms were between us, still covering her breast. I sighed and sat up, grabbing the blanket.

"Would it make you feel better if I were topless too?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She grinned at me and I took that as a yes. I threw my shirt off and laid back down with her. I pulled the blanket over us so she wouldn't get too cold, only then did she move her arms.

Her skin burned against mine. Her body shuttered at the complete contact and she sighed contently. I let my hand rest on her waist while I rested my head on the other. I watched Bella, who was wide awake at this point. Her eyes remained trained on my chest and I couldn't help but smile at her shyness.

"Would I be horrible if I told you not to be a gentlemen?" She said in a small voice refusing to meet my gaze.

"No." I whispered. I pulled the blanket down slowly, letting my hand brush against her flesh as I went. "Would it be horrible if I said I didn't want to be."

I leaned down and kissed her collar bone. I pulled the blanket down until it rested on her hip. I kissed lower down her chest, kissing along the center of her breasts. I kissed the top of her stomach, letting my lips linger against her flesh. I wrapped my arms around her body and pressed my face into her skin. Her scent wrapped around me and hovered in my mouth.

"Why do you wear your bra to bed?" I asked as I kissed my way back up.

"Because you're always with me and..." She blushed, biting her lip.

"I always want you to be comfortable. Don't worry about me, please?" I pleaded to her softly. I dragged my hands over her arms causing goose bumps to form. "I'm sorry, I'm making you cold..."

"No, you're not." She whined. She scouted down so her face was close to mine. She leaned forward and kissed me passionately, her tiny pink tongue caressing my lips. She pulled back all too quickly. "I'm sorry... I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

I rolled over onto my back and brought her with me. She straddled my waist and sat above me, the blanket sliding down and resting around her thighs. I looked at her beautiful body and smiled to myself. "No, I'm comfortable with this."

"Are you sure?" She leaned down and kissed my shoulder.

"Am I such a prude that I can't enjoy a beautiful woman?" I asked with an eyebrow raised. She puckered her lips in thought, closing one eye. She was teasing me now and I knew it.

"Maybe..." She drew out the word with a smile. I rolled my eyes, grinning at her silliness. But, it didn't last. My eyes focused once again on her body and my desire grew, literally.

I ran my fingers over her back slowly, feeling her heated flesh underneath my palms. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Her hair trailed down her back in curls, blanketing my hands with the softness. She hummed in pleasure at my touch.

"You're amazing." I whispered.

"Why do you say that?" She opened her eyes, her eyebrows knit together in confusion. Why could she be confused by such an obvious fact?

"You've survived so much. You've grown." She rolled her eyes. "Stop it, you know what I mean. You're beautiful. What do I have to do to prove it to you?" I questioned her.

"What do I have to do to prove the same thing to you?" She ran her fingers over my bare chest.

"I just want you to be happy. You don't have to prove anything to me." I pulled her down to me, pressing her chest against mine. She kissed me with soft lips, her hands rested on my cheeks.

"Bella, my love. You need to sleep." I whispered in her ear. She nodded reluctantly and rolled off of me. She settled on her side, pressing her body close to mine. I wrapped my arms around her waist. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She placed a gentle kiss on my chin. "You really are beautiful." And with that she slipped into a deep sleep.

"Dammit! It ITCHES!" She shouted about a couple of weeks later. She'd already gone through half a bottle of lotion this week alone.

"Hey, watch your mouth." Charlie called from the kitchen. We were both reading the paper while Bella in the middle of a fitting with Alice. Alice insisted on getting a special dress for graduation.

"I don't see the point of this anyway! I'm just getting FATTER!" She shouted. I covered my mouth with my fist to keep from laughing, Charlie on the other hand wasn't smart enough to do that.

"Shut. UP. Charlie!" She growled.

"Good job." I muttered under my breath. He looked over at me with pleading eyes and shot a meaningful glance into the living room. He was practically pleading with me to calm the beast.

I went into the living room, rolling my eyes at his fears. I smiled to myself when I saw her. "You look amazing."

" Well, she would of looked better in the blue or red one but she won't let me use those colors." Alice said through clinched teeth, which were holding pins.

"I'm not wearing orange either." Bella stepped down from the table, with my help.

"Why not?" Alice sighed at her fashion restrictions.

"Because I don't want to look like a pumpkin!" Bella growled. She sat down on the couch, her hands holding her sides. "Or, a tomato. Or, a blueberry. Or, a grape for that matter.

Charlie cracked up laughing again. I pursed my lips together to keep from laughing myself. Bella's eyes narrowed, daring someone to say something.

"Okay, that's perfect! Now, go get changed. We're going shopping!" Alice ignored the whole exchange.

"No! No no no. I'm not going and you can't make me." Bella pouted, her arms crossing over her chest.

"Come on! Let's go shopping for the baby!" Alice begged, putting her hands together. "Please?"

"Isn't it kind of early for baby shopping?" Bella quit her pouting.

"We'll you don't have more than ten more weeks and just in case it's always a good idea to have that stuff just in case." Alice took Bella's hand, giving her a big smile. She was trying to be gentle with the whole idea.

"Today though?"

"I'll make Edward and Jasper come." I opened my mouth to say something but she gave me a look. "We need men to do the heavy lifting."

"Alright." Bella muttered. Alice squealed and had her cell phone out in a second. She called Jasper and told him to meet us over here. She didn't tell him the reason either.

"I'm going to laugh when he gets mad at you." I smiled at her.

Alice shrugged and smiled slightly. "He won't get too mad. It'll be fun."

Bella pushed herself off the couch and went to her room to change. She was slower moving now. We waited patiently for her on the couch. Charlie came to join us, plopping down heavily in his favorite chair.

"What you kids doing this afternoon?"

"Baby shopping!" Alice squealed again, hopping in place. Charlie rolled his eyes and smiled.

"This kid is going to be so spoiled." He muttered, flicking on the TV.

"Don't you know it!" Alice clapped her hands together and bumped shoulders with me. I laughed and bumped her back.

"Don't look at me. I do not 'spoil'" I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, yeah. Sure." Charlie laughed. Alice giggled and I pushed her hard. She thumped to the floor, laughing. Charlie chuckled at our exchange. He liked seeing us act like normal siblings.

I heard the rustling of things up stairs. I heard a loud moan and then a growl.

"Edward! Help!"

**So, a bit of sexiness in this chapter and yes, I end it with a cliffy. I'm so mean. But you know you love it.**

**Thanks for all the warm wishes. I'm feeling a bit better today but I went to bed at 9:45 so I should lol I'm going to go so Star Trek today and I hope I can sit through it. We're taking the baby... I think she'll be a good girl. She normally is. She likes to watch TV already anyway lol**

**I'm on twitter now! Come tweet me at Jayeliwood! I just might give previews and such...**

**So, what's happened to Bella?!**


	40. Chapter 40

I had to remind myself to go at a human pace because of Charlie. I ran up the stairs and went into Bella's room as quickly as my feet would carry me once I hit the stairs and I knew no one would see me. She shouted the words but I would have heard them if she whispered. When I came in I stopped dead, in utter and total shock.

Bella's back to me, her dress hanging loosely on the shoulders. It looked as if it would fall at any second. She held it up to her chest, her hands on her shoulders. Bella turned her eyes towards me, a heavy flush on her cheeks and biting her lip shyly.

"Can you zip me up? I can't reach it." She asked in a tiny voice, her blush turning redder.

I let out a heavy breath in relief. I almost felt manic and had to hold back a laugh. "Isabella Swan if you _EVER_ scare me like that again..."

"I didn't mean to scare you." Bella bit down on her lip harder, embarrassed. I moved over to her slowly, with each step relaxing a bit more, and zipped it up. She pressed her back against my chest once I was done and wrapped my arms around her upper shoulders. "I'm fine." She assured me in a tender voice. I nodded my head, pressing my forehead against her shoulder and letting out a deep breath.

"You look beautiful." I held her to me for a moment, changing the subject. I hated how the fear took over sometimes.

Alice knocked on the door. "Is everything okay?" She already knew, I could see it, but she wanted to double check and also she wanted to placate Charlie, who was freaking out.

"I had some issues. We're fine." Bella answered for us. I combed my fingers through her hair, taking in her sweet scent to help myself relax even more. If my heart beat, it would be going a million miles an hour still.

"If you're not up for today we don't have to go." I kissed her shoulder lightly.

"No, Alice is right. Besides I can't imagine seeing Jasper in a baby store or the mall for that matter. It's something I'd like to see." She smiled at me playfully. I laughed as I took her hand. It was so cute that she was trying to calm my nerves.

By the time we got down the stairs Jasper was already there. He had a smirk on his face. It was easy to tell that he didn't like the plan.

"Hey, I'm going too." I put a hand up. He rolled his eyes and sighed before shrugging his shoulders. He knew better than to argue with Alice when her mind was made up. Her determination, even though it was one of the mother bothersome things about her it was what made him love her in the first place.

"Let's go in Edward's car. It's bigger!" Alice grabbed Jasper's arm and started to tug him to the door. "GOODBYE CHARLIE!" She called loudly.

"Have a great day!" He called back, not even bothering to look away from the TV.

We drove to Seattle, arriving around noon. Alice's mind was wild with all the things she wanted to get and the list was growing by the second. I helped Bella from the car, taking her hands in mine as I helped her to her unsteady feet. She smiled at me gratefully before turning her eyes to a hopping Alice.

"This is going to be a long day." She muttered under her breath.

Jasper placed a hand on Bella's back and leaned in. "I'm so sorry. I can't control her."

Bella threw her head back in laughter. Jasper smiled brightly as Alice scowled at him.

"It's okay, Jazz. I know. No one can. It's best to let her run free and see what happens." She leaned into him, whispering rather loudly. It was cute to watch the exchange between them. I was so glad that they felt this comfortable with each other now.

"Well, at least one of you is smart enough to understand that!" Alice stomped towards the doors of the store, some exclusive baby boutique. Bella hesitated when she saw where we were going.

"That'll be too expensive." She complained.

"My niece is getting the best." Jasper told her, taking her arm. He pulled her into the store.

"Thank you." I whispered so low that Bella would not be able to hear.

_"I meant it." _He thought as he began to lead her around the store.

An overly eager sales women came up to us, beaming. "Hi, how can I help you today?"

"We're shopping for everything." Alice said, not even looking at the women as she started to search for this from her mental list.

"Where would you like to start?" She asked, pulling out a pad and pen.

"Bella, where do you want to start?" Alice called to her. Jasper led her back over to us, a hand on her back the entire time.

"Oh you must be the lucky mommy to be! Are you the father?" She looked at Bella and then to Jasper.

"Wow, you're presumptuous." Alice muttered under my breath. Jasper's face was completely in shock for several seconds for putting back his mask.

"No. I'm the lucky uncle." He let go of Bella's arm and I stepped up, taking her hand. I could clear this up very quickly.

"I'm the father, actually."

The women smiled, glossing over her mistake. She was thinking how beautiful our children would be, even if we were a bit too young.

"Alright, we don't want anything too modern. It's a girl. We'll need everything shipped to this address." Alice commanded, handing the women a slip of paper as she started her little speech. "I want it shipped there by Saturday afternoon. Remember, we're going to need _everything_."

The women cleared her throat and looked between Bella and Alice, nervous for some reason. Bella nodded, letting Alice take the lead.

Bella walked around the store, holding my hand. Alice had the poor sales women writing furiously with all her instructions. Bella stopped at a crib and ran her fingers over it.

"Do you like it?" I asked her, looking over her curious face. It was hard to tell what she was thinking at the moment.

"It's beautiful." She whispered and went to look at the price tag. I swatted her hand away.

"Miss! We'd like this crib please." I called across the store.

"Edward, it's too expensive."

"Hush, little girl. Let me buy my daughter something." I waved the women over to the lovely pewter crib. The bars were twisted into smooth flowers at the end. The women nodded and wrote down the number on the tag.

We spent thousands at the little boutique with the guarantee that it would be delivered in two days. Jasper led Bella out of the store while I paid. None of us wanted her to pass out when she saw the cost.

"She looks a bit faint." Alice laughed at the clerk, whispering the words to me.

"That's because she gets commissions." "I muttered so she could not hear. Alice laughed harder.

Jasper and Bella sat on a bench outside waiting. Jasper had a hand on her stomach and was smiling. _"I haven't felt the baby move before today."_

"Come on, Uncle Jazz." Alice tugged at her husband, pulling him to his feet.

By the time we arrived Bella's stomach was growling. "Go on without me. I'll be fine. I can feed myself." She muttered as she looked out of the window.

"Bella, no. We don't mind." I told her gently, stroking her back.

"Alice is practically straining at the leash to get shopping again. Go on guys, I'll meet up with you." She waved us off.

"You know what, I need a break. Can I stay with you, Bella?" Jasper asked gently. _"Will this make you feel better?"_

I nodded and leaned into Bella. I placed a kiss on her cheek and walked away with Alice on my arm.

"She'll be fine." Alice told me in a confident voice.

She pulled me into the first children's store that she saw. We got some strange looks but people mainly ignored us. "Hey, Al, you can wear some of this stuff." I laughed as I pulled out a tiny dress, waving it in front of me.

"Shut up, nerd." She smiled up at me, pulling out several things. She held it in front of her, examining the back and the front. "I think I like shopping for baby things more than adult things."

"That's because you've never done it before. You've bought everything else in the world." I pulled out a small frilly pink dress. I smiled to myself.

"Aw, that's cute!" She snatched it from my fingers and added it to the pile in her arms. She bought one of almost everything in almost every single size.

"Don't you think Bella will want to pick some things out?" I told her as the pile in my own arms grew.

"She will. Don't worry. Babies always need new clothes! Come on, let's go check out. They'll be done soon."

We came out of the store, each holding five bags. I saw Jasper and Bella walking towards us, smiling. They were both laughing and he had an arm over her shoulder. Something he said made her blush and laugh harder. I was in awe of how much she fit into my family. She was the perfect missing piece.

But, If I had been paying better attention I would have noticed Lauren.

"Oh, so are YOU the father? I know you've been with so many guys it's hard to remember..." She called out as she past my future bride. Bella stopped dead in her tracks and turned. Jasper was seething, only the color red in his mind. I started to run towards her but Alice grabbed my arm and shook her head.

"We're in the mall. You can't." She hissed.

"I'm the uncle you under dress over done tramp." Jasper growled. Bella put a hand on his chest as if she could stop him if he wanted to attack the girl in front of him. She still hadn't said anything.

Bella snapped out of her fog sudden, flying forward and punching her in the nose hard. Lauren fell back into her group of friends that she was with. It was no one I recognized from school. Their minds were frantic and confused.

"If I ever see your face again, I'm going rip your stringy bottled blond hair from your head!" She shrieked at her, waving her fist in front of her.

Jasper was as proud as he could be. He picked Bella up and ran her towards us. "Let's get the hell out of her before we get arrested." He suggested with a big grin on his face.

I laughed and took her from his arms, tossing him the bags. We ran, at a human pace, towards the parking lot leaving the group of idiots behind us. Alice and Jasper threw everything into the trunk and I placed Bella into the front seat.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, stroking her cheek.

"That was the best shopping trip I've ever had!" She smiled, a bright blush covering her cheeks.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes, climbing into the driver's side. "Is she going to say anything to anyone?" I asked Alice.

"Nope. She's too embarrassed. She's going to tell everyone she fell." Alice said, half laughing. "Girl, you're scary."

"Thank you!" Bella laughed, letting her head fall back against the seat.

"Let's not punch anyone else for a while though." I placed a hand on her knee, patting it gently.

"Aw, why?" Jasper asked from the back seat. He ruffled Bella's hair.

"I don't know, maybe something about the baby. We should defiantly save the bar fights for after she's born, don't you think?" I twisted my fingers around the steering wheel.

"I'll be fine as long as Lauren's not in the bar." Bella giggled, running her fingers through her thick hair.

"Oh I want to see that fight." Jasper laughed and pushed Bella's shoulder.

"You three are nothing but three year olds." I muttered, looking out the window.

"Edward Cullen, you've thought about running her over with the car." Alice poked my shoulder hard.

Bella raised an eyebrow and grinned. "What stopped you?"

"I didn't want to wait to have my car fixed. Do you know how much work it takes to get blood out of your grill? " I commented.

"Do you know how mad Rosalie would be?" Alice laughed. _"She'd yell at you for a week."_

"Yeah, I have to admit, I'm a little scared of her." I winked at Bella who smiled at me.

I dropped Alice and Jasper off by Charlie's so they could pick up their car before Bella and I headed to our home. We had gone a couple of miles when Bella suddenly started crying.

"What's wrong my love?" I took her hand and brought it to my lips. I kissed her knuckles lightly because they were bruised, the faint flush of purple across the tops

"I hate that... that... " She sobbed, unable to get the words out.

"That bitch?" I finished for her. She nodded, biting her lip and gazing out the window.

"She can't do anything to you. I won't let her. I'm very proud of you for standing up to her. That takes a lot of guts Bella. You are strong. Don't let her ruin your day." I peered at her out from the corner of my eye. She nodded slowly and sucked in a deep breath.

"Look at me." I told her in a gentle voice. Her eyes slowly shifted over to me. "In a month we're going to be married. In three months we'll be parents. I will have everything I ever wanted and I will give anything to make you happy. I will do whatever it takes. Do you want me to kill her?"

"EDWARD!" She shouted, her face flushing bright red.

"Come on. I'll make it look like an accident." I smiled at her to show her that I was teasing.

"Really? I mean... wait.... No! You can't do that!" She laughed through her tears. She rubbed her face, dragging her fingers over her cheek.

"Only if you're sure." I pulled into the garage. Jasper was right behind. Alice stepped out and gave me the funniest look.

Bella shook her head and got out of the car. We carried the things inside to an excited Esme. My mother inspected every outfit that we bought, along with Bella who had not seen them yet. They sat on the floor and spread them all out.

"Oh, Aunt Alice is going to spoil her so bad." Esme examined the twentieth dress. She had the same thing in three different colors.

"And Grandma Esme isn't?" Bella asked with a smile, looking at a pair of socks.

"Grandma Esme." My mother smiled brightly.

"Hey! Papaw Carl!" Emmett shouted up to Carlisle's study. He was in the middle of the clothes too, laughing at the sheer mass of them.

"Oh, that'll go over well." I rolled my eyes.

Carlisle came down from his private room and gave Emmett a death glare. He came over and kissed his wife on the top of her head. " I don't think I'll be a papaw, thank you."

"Carlisle, you're so much cooler than that." She smiled up at my father.

"Elizabeth will pick whatever she wants to call you." I told them. I sat behind Bella, letting her prop against me. I knew she must have been tired after everything today. I rubbed my hands down her back soothingly.

My family went back and forth teasing each other. They laughed about the baby and the names that they'd get called. Bella was in the center of it all, laughing and glowing with joy. I watched her, stroking her hair. I was happy because she was. When my family slowly disappeared to do different things I brought her close to me, nuzzling my face into her hair.

"I use to hate what I am. Now with you in my life I think I can bear it. As long as I have you. That's all that matters." I whispered softly, lightly kissing the side of her warm neck. I felt her pulse increase under my lips as I touched her and I could tell that she felt the same way.

**I found out yesterday that a good friend of mine died. She was my first friend on Fan fiction, one of my first reviewers, one of the first authors I read, my very first Beta (for the first couple of chapters of the original of this story, as a matter of fact.) She'd be the first one to tell me a story idea was stupid or bug me until I wrote one out that I didn't have confidence in. She was an amazing and funny friend. She had a lot of dramas in her life and I knew it wasn't as easy as some. Stephanie will be sorely missed. She was a fantastic writer and an even better friend. **

**So this chapter is dedicated in loving memory to Daddy's little Cannibal. **


	41. Chapter 41

"No, Dad, I don't want to go out and celebrate. I'm miserable." Bella whined into the phone that was pressed against her ear. We had been laying comfortable on the couch, watching television, after finishing the final day of school. They'd mail our diplomas to us, so we were completely done with the whole thing. There was no walking or gowns. I was nearly overjoyed with that little fact. I always hated the show. Bella was glad for it too. Since starting her third trimester she had become extremely uncomfortable.

"No. No. No. How about pizza? Please?" She pleaded with her father. She then rolled her eyes, sighing heavily."No. No. I'm not going out. You can't make me. NO." She growled into the phone, getting more annoyed with every word. I grabbed the phone from her before she got so pissed off that she hung up on her father. I knew that wouldn't do her any good right now."

"Hello, Charlie." I said politely into the phone.

"Convince her to go out." He mumbled.

"Well, I hope you don't mind but I've asked Alice to pick up something to eat and bring it here. It is something special." Bella looked over at me with a questioning look. I put my finger up and shook my head, silently asking her not to say anything.

"Oh! Okay, well that's fine. I know Alice got her that dress and all. I'm surprised that she isn't making her go out." He chatted with me. It was a little odd, but I had gotten use to it. I knew Charlie felt the same way when we spoke to one another.

"Apparently Bella is scarier than Alice." I winked at her. Bella spent two hours the night before convincing Alice that she would not be going to any party, any restaurant, club, movie, concert or play. I'd never seen Bella so feisty before. Alice told me that she didn't like it when Bella used her pregnancy powers for 'evil' before stomping out of the room with a triumphant looking Bella at my side. I smiled at the memory.

"I'll give you that. Alright, I'll see you guys later." He hung up, chuckling to himself.

"What do you feel like eating?" I asked her as I dialed Alice's number.

"Um, Mexican!" She smiled brightly at me and laid her head down in my lap. I played with her hair as I waited for my sister to pick up. It only two a ring before I heard the little click.

"Okay, the makings for quesadillas, Spanish rice, refried beans, chips, salsa, sour cream, guacamole and something to drink. Is there anything else?" Alice laughed into the phone.

"Anything else?" I looked down at Bella. She smiled sheepishly.

"Okay, and the makings for banana splits." Alice answered for Bella. My future bride nodded her pretty little head slowly and I rolled my eyes.

"You're going to pop." I poked her hardened round stomach.

"Yes, but I will be happy before hand." Bella said dryly. I tickled her sides and she giggled. "Thank you Alice!" She said as she took the phone away from me but not before sticking her tongue out at me. "No. That's it. Thank you! You're an angel."

She closed the phone and handed it back to me looking extremely happy.

It was so nice to lay quietly for a while. So much had been happening the past few months. The next few months were going to be just as busy. I didn't know if we could handle it all but I hoped so. I knew it would all be easier since I had Bella at my side.

Alice arrived before Charlie did, carrying around fifteen different bags of things.

"My god! Did you buy enough?" Bella laughed as she started pulling the different items from the bags.

"If not, I can always go back to the store." She said seriously. Alice wasn't really paying attention but pulling stuff out herself.

Bella rolled her eyes. "This more than enough, thank you."

"Oh, you're welcome!" Alice hopped around the table and gave her a big hug. "I hope you know how to make this stuff because I sure as hell don't."

"It's not so hard. I haven't had good Mexican food in months. The best stuff is south of the Mason-Dixon line. But I make a pretty good quesadilla." She opened a package of raw chicken and began to season it with different shakers from her cabinet. The smell was foul but I ignored it the best I could. She popped it into the oven after putting the thing on broil when she was all done.

"This going to be a nice night." Alice smiled brightly as she sat down in a chair next to me. Alice had apparently had a vision of some sort to convince her of this fact. I nodded my head and gave her a grateful smile.

"Edward, what was your favorite food when you were alive?" Bella asked out of the blue. Her back was turned to me as she sliced some mushrooms for her meal.

"I really don't remember much." I thought for a minute, finally coming up with a memory. "I remember I liked apples. Not the red kind. The ones for pies, the tart green ones. I remember my mother fussing at me for eating them whenever she baked."

"What about you, Alice?" Bella asked, turning her attention to some bell peppers.

"I don't remember being human at all. I just woke up one day like this." Alice shrugged. It didn't bother her. I think it would have killed me not at least know how I came to be. Most people have that. "I will say this though, I don't think I'd ever eat chicken."

"Why?" Bella laughed, turning to look at her in confusion.

"Ugh, chickens are dirty nasty little creatures. Anything that can survive without a head is... gross and unnatural. And, mushrooms are fungus." She added at the end.

Before Bella could respond Charlie walked in. He hung up his gun belt and stretched out his arms, yawning. He didn't have a single thing on his mind except for what was for dinner. He was starving. "Hey kiddo." He came over and wrapped an arm around Bella's shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. "Need me to do anything?"

"No. I'm fine. Why don't you go watch TV until I get everything ready?" She offered him and he gratefully accepted. He wasn't exactly handy in the kitchen and Charlie didn't want to ruin the meal for Bella. Or, make her mad. He was honestly a little scared of her now. When he was in the living room and out of hearing range, I came up behind her, placing my hands on her hips.

"Is there anything I can do?" I whispered in her ear, letting my breath slow over her ear.

"Can you get the chicken out of the oven? I can't bend over." She mumbled over the last part, not wanting me to hear. I smiled and nodded my head before placing a kiss on the side of her neck.

I grabbed a pot holder and pulled it out for her. I put it on the back of the stove so it wouldn't fall or where she could bump into it and I turned off the oven for her. I felt so sorry for her. She wanted to do so much that she couldn't do anymore, not for right now anyway. I knew it frustrated her. I wanted to help her as much as possible. "Anything else, love?"

She walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. Bella leaned up on tip toes to kiss my nose. "You're wonderful."

I wrapped my fingers into her hair and brought her closer to me. I kissed her lips lightly before placing a kiss on the base of her slender neck. I hummed in pleasure at the taste before kissing my way up her neck slowly, letting my tongue flick over the sweet flesh. Alice cleared her throat from the table making a deep blush crawled over Bella's face.

"You two are so cute." Alice smiled at us and winked. Bella's face turned a brighter shade. She turned, deciding it was time to ignore my sister and cut the chicken into tiny cubes. I chuckled, rubbing Bella back reassuringly. I placed another kiss on her cheek before she swatted me away to get to work. She didn't want to be teased anymore.

Thirty minutes later dinner was done and Bella was fed, or rather, stuffed. Alice and I, of course, waved it off. Bella sat perched on the couch, her swollen feet on the coffee table. The phone rang and Bella groaned as she reached for it. I passed it to her and she gave me the look of 'I could have done that myself.'. I gave her my best innocent smile and she rolled her eyes before pressing the talk button.

"Swan residence? Oh, hi Jake. How are you? That's good. Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Okay, I'll ask him." Bella removed the phone from her ear and covered the mouth piece. "Billy wants to know if you want to watch the game at his place tonight?"

"Well, do you have anything special planned? Besides dinner, I mean?" I could see in his mind he really wanted to. He loved his daughter but this wasn't his idea of fun.

"I'm going to eat ice cream, on the couch. I'm going to watch movies, on the couch. My plan is to be on the couch." She told him sarcastically. Charlie rolled his eyes but nodded his head.

"Yeah, tell him I'll be over there in thirty." Charlie got up to change out of his uniform.

"He says yes, Jacob." Bella spoke as she returned the phone to her ear. "Oh, I'm due on November 29th." She laughed, letting her head lull back on the couch. I was becoming increasingly jealous of _Jacob. _"Well, I hope I don't 'pop it out' on Thanksgiving either. Anyway, give my regards to Billy. Sure, see you around Jake." She clicked off the phone. I took the tiny machine from her hands and placed it back on the charger without a single word.

Bella raised an eyebrow at me but didn't say anything. I removed the hardened facade carefully, making sure not to upset the girl next to me. I brought my fingers to her face and ran them along her jawline. She smiled up at me, leaning her head onto my shoulder.

"You guys be good. I'll see you later." Charlie waved as he walked out the door. Being around his moody pregnant daughter was starting to take a toll on him. If he was being honest it would have been more than that. This entire year was just a huge strain on him. He gained his daughter back and lost her all in a matter of months. That would have been hard on anyone though. He was taking it all amazingly well.

"Are you sure there is nothing you'd rather do besides be on the couch?" I asked her, trailing my hand down her silky arm.

"Dessert?" She smiled sheepishly. Alice jumped up and helped Bella up a second later.

"If you are what you eat, you're going to turn into ice cream." I commented as I followed behind. "With whipped cream and chocolate sauce."

"You know what? Bite me." She said as she started pulling things out of the fridge and freezer, lining it up in a neat row on the counter top.

Alice threw her head back in laughter. I pushed her hard, making Alice stumble over to the table. I really didn't push her that hard, but she got the point. She laughed harder and sat down, lounging back.

Bella carefully made herself a small bowl of ice cream, making sure every scoop was just so before covering it with chocolate syrup. I came up behind her and wrapped my arms slowly around her stomach, careful not to put too much pressure. "Why do you have to tease me?" I asked her in a whiny voice, teasing her.

"A girl has to have hobbies." She said dryly as she looked around the counter for something. She found what she wanted, taking it in her hand. Bella turned, shaking the can of whip cream vigorously. She leaned up and kissed my chin. "But, you know I love you though."

"Of course." I smiled. I pressed my lips to the base of her neck, tasting the sweet flesh there.

"That's good." She said in a small airy whisper. It took me a quarter of a second to realize that she was spraying the whip cream all over my cheek. I stood straight, leaning away from her, running a finger over the fluffy sugary goop. I looked at Bella who's eyes were wide and slightly shocked at her boldness. She was frightened that I was mad. I carefully took the whip cream out of her tight grip and started to shake the bottle. Her eyes went wider, making them look like they were about to pop out of her head. "What are you doing?" Bella whimpered.

"Pay back." I sprayed a long line down the side of her neck before she could even register what I had said. She flushed red, her mouth opening to say something but nothing came out but a strangled whimper. I carefully placed the bottle back on the counter, out of Bella's immediate reach of course. She ran her fingers over the covered flesh, getting a large handful of it, and then brought it to her lips. Teasingly, she took a little lick then looked at me. Her eyes were practically burning. She pushed her hand on my face, over my forehead and down the center of my face smearing the sugary mess all over my cold skin. Of course, none of this would melt off because of my temperature.

Alice was falling all over herself laughing. Laughing at me, that is. I swear I heard her snorting she was laughing so hard but I couldn't be totally sure. I was too focused on Bella. I slowly ran my tongue over my lips, tasting the strange fluff, smacking my lips for effect. "That's real nice, love."

"Oh, do you like that?" She ran her finger over my cheek and brought it to her lips. Slowly, she sucked the digit into her mouth, taking all of the cream off of it. My eyes almost rolled back into my head as I watched her.

"Yes, I sure do. Let me know you how much." I grabbed her face and kissed her hard, showing her exactly how much I _really_ enjoyed her little_ show_. As I finished I rubbed my sticky face against her. She squealed, laughing as she tried to pull away from my grip, but of course, my grip was like iron and she couldn't slip away until I was ready to release her.

"Alright you two. You have fun with your foreplay." Alice laughed as she stood from the table.

"Aren't you going to rescue me?" Bella snorted. Her face was covered in cream, her skin glistening in the light of the kitchen. I think it was even in her hair at this point.

"Nope, trust me. You don't want to be rescued." Alice called as she walked out of the door.

I finally pulled away from her face, but not before placing a gentle kiss on her sticky forehead. "Truce?" I asked her with pleading eyes.

"Alright, but just because you asked so nicely." She kissed my neck lightly after teasing me. Her face was glowing, a large smile plastered to her lips. I grabbed a towel from one of the kitchen drawers and ran it over her skin, cleaning it. She hummed in pleasure, turning her face up so I could have better access. When I was done I quickly wiped my own face. The stuff smelt god awful to me.

"So, that would be considered foreplay?" She asked, a soft blush on her cheeks. I would have blushed if I could have. Instead of answering I lifted her chin up and pressed my lips to hers lightly.

"In a couple of months we should give it a try and we'll have see." I kissed her ear softly, bringing her earlobe carefully between my teeth.

"Ah huh." She mumbled in pleasure, closing her eyes. I couldn't help but smile at little at the thought that I made her that way.

"Your ice cream is melting." I told her with a gentle kiss on her forehead. I needed to put a stop to this before it quickly went too far. She groaned and turned back to her bowl, scooping it up before stalking off to the living room.

"Are you upset?" I asked her, sitting on the floor in front of her. I couldn't understand what I had done.

"No, I'm just... _frustrated_." She crossed her ankles, trying to get more comfortable. She took a small bite of ice cream before making a face and putting it down. _Well, that craving went away quickly..._

"What's the difference?" I took one of her bare feet in my hands and began to rub it gingerly. Her feet was slightly swollen and I knew she was uncomfortable. The cool of my hands always seem to relax her a little bit.

"I'm not frustrated like... that... I..." She looked away and blushed a bright red.

"Oh," I said softly as it finally dawned on me. I rubbed up her ankle, running my thumb over the tender muscles. I was too lost in my own thoughts to really give her a proper answer back.

"Sorry." She blushed brightly. Bella stood quickly, or as quickly as she could for being as pregnant as she was. This was an effort.

"Please. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..." I followed behind.

"Didn't mean to what?" She turned, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Her lips were in a sharp little line. She was trying so hard not to cry.

I growled at her, feeling frustrated myself in more ways than one. I scooped her up in her arms, even though she protested. I ran up the stairs and placed her on the bed. Kissing her as hard as I might dare on the lips, I brought her closer to me with my fingers on the back of her neck. She moaned into my mouth, filling me with her delicious scent. "I'm frustrated, too." I told her, dragging my fingers over her face.

"I understand your fear and honestly, I don't want you to see me when I'm looking like this but I want you. I can't help it." The said in a quick rush as my lips explored her shoulder. I had to kiss her then.

"You're perfect." I whispered to her.

"I'm a fat cow." She tried to push me away but I wouldn't let her. I sat up a little bit, giving her a tiny bit of space though. I knew she needed it right then.

"If I can't call myself a monster you can't call yourself a fat cow." I held her chin between my fingers. She opened her mouth to say something but when she saw my eyes she stopped. At least she knew when I wasn't going to be argued with.

"Fine," She muttered, looking downwards.

"Isabella Marie Swan, in two weeks you'll be my wife. You have no idea how badly I want you. And, as soon as you're able... " I let my words trail off. I slid the collar of her shirt down and kissed right above the swell of her breast. Actions always did speak louder than words.

"That's not helping." She whimpered, turning a bright shade.

I sat up and pulled her onto my lap. Pulling the shirt down further, I kissed right above the fabric of her baby blue bra. "You're right, it's not. But I must say you taste magnificent."

"Edward Cullen..." She breathed, holding on to the back of my neck for dear life.

"Yes, my darling?" I said against her skin, kissing the opposite side.

"If you don't get out of my room right now I'm going to tie you to the bed and..." She tugged at my hair.

"And, what?" I raised an eyebrow, smirking.

"And, see if the rest of you tastes as good as your lips." She said, her face buried in my neck. I could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. I smiled a little, enjoying that thought far too much.

I slowly and very carefully placed her back on the bed. She didn't look at me as I stood, the color still dancing across her flesh. I kissed the top of her head lightly and told her the truth.. "There is nothing more I'd like to do right now."

"Go hunt, Edward." She said softly, running her fingers over her neck. She bit her lip, looking up at me imploringly. I knew then she was trying very hard to respect my boundaries. I loved her even more for it.

"Alright, but can I come back tonight?" I asked her gently, petting her hair.

"Only if you want to." She sighed, her head lulling back against the pillow. Bella's eyes shut, her heartbeat increasing slightly at my touch.

"I always want to and I always will."

**Thanks for all your warm wishes about DLC. I just feel horrible for her family. From what I understand what happened it was a drunk driving accident on Friday night. If you want, go to her profile and check out the eulogy on a few of her stories. That way you can send your warm wishes and prayers to a place her family can read. **

**So, guess what happens the next chapter? I'll tell you this much, it's a SUPER long chapter. **


	42. Chapter 42

Today had been a long day already and tomorrow would be even longer. The days were starting to get cooler and the daylight shorter though, which is always a good thing. It meant I could spend more time out with Bella in public. During the summer that time was extremely limited.

Bella looked amazingly cute tonight in her stripped red and black shirt and her blue jeans. She officially couldn't see her feet anymore and had band shoes with laces from her closet. So now, she was wearing slip ons that matched her outfit. Of course, the outfit was provided by Alice. It had to match. She wanted everything perfect for Bella's mother.

When her mother saw her at the airport she screamed. I knew then it wouldn't matter what she was wearing.

"My baby is going to get married!" She squealed making everyone, including her husband, cringe with the high pitched noise.

"Yes, mom, I know." Bella hugged her mother tightly. Even though she was trying to put on a brave face I knew she was close to crying herself.

"In less than two days!" She said, practically jumping up and down. She was so much like a child sometimes.

"Hello, Renee. You must be Phil. Pleasure to meet you." I greeted them both. Phil simply nodded and smiled but Renee grabbed a hold of my neck and wouldn't let go. "It's good to see you, too."

"Mom, before you kill my husband, let go." Bella tugged at her mother. Renee dropped down and hugged Bella again. She was far too excited to calm down.

The entire ride back to Forks Renee did not stop talking. She was too excited about being a grandmother. Her thoughts swam with the idea of it. She wanted to be a 'hip grandma'. Bella getting married was just the icing on the cake. She felt like her daughter's life was going to be better than hers. She saw the love between us and she knew that we would have a happy home and a good marriage.

That night we celebrated Bella's birthday with a dinner, though both Alice and I wanted to do more. At the restaurant when they sang to her I thought she was going to crawl onto my lap and hide. She pressed her face into my arm, making quiet squealing noises of shock and annoyance. I stroked her hair and whispered the song into her ear, trying to sooth her. She pulled her face up slowly and pressed her lips onto mine. When I looked into her eyes I saw nothing but love in them. Bella gave me the most brilliant smile and my entire world seemed so bright even though it was night.

"GO! Get! Get on out of here." Alice kept slapping my shoulder playfully in the parking lot of the restaurant after dinner.

"Look, little evil pixie, I'm trying to say goodnight to my wife." I ignored her and pulled Bella close to my body her stomach and chest breast against my own. The baby kicked, complaining about it's confines.

"She isn't your wife yet." Alice crossed her arms and stomped off, pouting at the fact that both Bella and I ignored her little scene. I leaned forward and lightly kissed my bride's forehead.

"In less than twenty hours you'll be all mine and I'll be yours." I whispered against her skin, smiling at the words.

"Well, I've always been yours." She replied as she kissed my cheek, her breath hot and sweet against my skin as she spoke.

"You two better hurry it up." Alice shouted from beside Carlisle's Mercedes. She was getting very impatient with us now and I knew if we didn't hurry up, she'd take it out on me later.

"I love you so much Edward." Bella ignored her and kissed the place where my heart should have been beating.

"I love you too Isabella." I kissed her one final time on the lips, savoring the taste.

"You better not sneak over. I'll know." Alice tapped her forehead with her fingertips.

"I'm going to be good! Give me some credit." I rolled my eyes as I opened the door to the Volvo. Before Bella climbed into my father's car she blew me a kiss, blushing a bright shade of red as she did so. I smiled at the tender action as I slid down onto cushions.

It was the longest night of my life. It had been the first night in months that I had not held Bella in my arms for at least part of the night. I hunted for a few hours, drinking until I could not take in another drop. It didn't take up as much time as I hoped, sadly. I sat alone in the woods and breathed in the fresh mountain air afterwards, trying to calm myself.

When I finally came back to the house it was almost dawn. I shower, scrubbing the dirt of the hunt off of me. I wanted to be as human as possible for my bride and being covered in dried blood and dirt was not the way to that. I dressed and tried to arrange my hair in a fashion that would not fall in my face. Of course, it was no use and I gave up quickly. There was really not point in trying any harder. I sat down on my couch and watched as the rain began to fall from the sky.

"You know, they say it's good luck." Carlisle said from the doorway of my room.

"Good luck for what?" I asked, my mind around twenty miles away at Bella's house.

"For it to rain on your wedding day." He smiled at sat beside me. "_How are you?_"

"Would it be ironic if I said 'scared to death'?" I asked him, a small smirk on my face.

He laughed and patted my shoulder. "You'll do fine, son."

"I'm more worried about tonight honestly. I don't know what I want to happen." I told him honestly, my eyes drifting back out the window. I wondered if Bella was thinking the same things.

"Let her lead the way. She'll show you what she's comfortable with." He said in a warm voice. I knew then he was speaking as a father and not a doctor, or even a vampire. _"Everything will work out fine."_

"I know. I'm just worried." I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to keep the fear out.

"It wouldn't be you if you didn't worry." He patted my knee before standing. "Only five more hours."

I looked at my watch and realized I'd be starring off into space for three hours before my father came and interrupted my thoughts. The rain had stopped but it was still heavily overcast. It was already noon. I hoped that Alice remembered to get Bella something to eat. I sighed and laid my head back again.

"Five more hours." I said quietly to myself. I wished that could make time go faster, but of course, it did not.

_My god. _

That's all I could think as I watched Bella walk towards me. She was beyond stunning. I knew there was a world around me, my family, her family, even someone playing the guitar as she walked towards me but none of them matter. The only things that matter to me in the world were standing before me. It took all my will power not to run and grab her up in my arms. In my head I thanked whatever god let me have her over and over again.

Her dress was perfect, long sheer white and flowing in the wind. Her hair was curled perfectly in waves, a veil whipping around her face. I could see her eyes glistening from underneath it. How I wanted to kiss those tears away! I could tell my sister did her make up. Most of the time it was far too much and caked on but she looked perfect with her smoky eyes which made her deep brown eyes seem even more chocolaty. I smiled when I realized that she was bare foot. Not even Alice could convince her to be in heels today.

Bella held a bouquet of blue and white flowers, all held together with satin ribbons. Her father walked her down the aisle, looking as if he was about to pass out. When they finally reached me he passed me her hand.

"If you hurt her I'll kill you." He whispered to me before leaning over to kiss Bella on the cheek. I was very glad that she couldn't hear him speak. She would have been annoyed, but it just made the moment even more real for me.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." I smiled brightly, too happy to do anything else.

I took Bella's warm hand in my cold one. She was biting her lip, her heart racing frantically. I worried she might pass out but I would be there to catch her if she did. I would always be there to catch her. Together, we turned to the Justice of the peace.

"Marriage is a daunting task, it should not be treaded into lightly. A successful marriage is just not about staying married either, but staying in love. I can tell by the love on these two young peoples faces that they have enough love to last a thousand years." The middled aged red haired women smiled at us both brightly. She truly believed what she said.

_She didn't know how right she was. _

She continued along and got to the only part that truly mattered to me. "Do you, Edward Anthony Cullen take Isabella Marie Swan to have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for richer or poorer for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." I sighed in contentment. Bella had tears streaming down her face but she was smiling. She was just as happy as I was at this moment.

"Do you, Isabella Marie Swan take Edward Anthony Cullen to have and to hold, through sickness and in health for richer or poorer as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Bella said through her tears, the passion glowing in her eyes. It was everything in me to keep from grabbing her up in my arms and kissing her again.

The red haired women turned to me. "Do you have the ring?"

"Yes." I pulled out the circular silver band. Bella handed off her boutique to Alice then offered me her left hand. I brought it to my lips and kissed it lightly, my eyes locked onto hers the entire time.

"Good, now repeat after me..."

I heard what she said and repeated but the words did not register. I was too excited to slide the band over her third finger. Her hands were trembling as the cold metal slid into place. Bella brought her hand up to my cheek and grazed it quickly before taking my left hand.

"I will love you until the end of time." She whispered to me as she slid the ring onto my finger.

"You may kiss the bride."

I lifted the veil carefully before I scooped Bella into my arms, her legs dangling off the ground. Our lips crashed together and the world melted away completely for me. I closed my eyes as I held her as tightly as I could to me, without hurting her of course. The baby kicked against my stomach and I laughed as I pulled away. I spun her around and Bella giggled, her arms wrapped around my neck. When I finally let her down again I kissed her lips once more as I took her hand.

"I'd like to introduce to you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen."

I knew my family and hers were laughing and clapping but I could not hear it. All that existed in my universe was the beautiful girl next to me. My wife.

_My wife and our child. _

The next few hours flew by in a happy whirl. Alice was right, Bella did want cake. We posed for pictures, each with a piece of cake in between her fingers. She took a small bit and I barely touched it to my lips, but it was enough for the effect of the moment. I heard somewhere in front of me my brother screaming that I didn't get enough. Bella raised an eyebrow and a wicked little grin spread over her beautiful full lips.

I leaned over and whispered so only she could hear. "If you do it I'll wipe this cake all over your chest."

"I'll make you lick it off." She replied, looking rather smug at her quick witted response.

"I think I'd actually eat cake if I could do that." I told her and a bright blush formed over her cheeks. I laughed and took the pastry from her fingers, setting it to the side. I brought her fingers to lips and sucked the icing off slowly, sucking each digit into my mouth carefully. It didn't taste good to me but she did. She sucked in a heavy breath as she watched, Bella's heart rate increasing.

The cat calls around us were loud and coming not only from Jasper and Emmett but Alice and Rose as well. Bella laughed nervously and tucked her face into my tux covered shoulder. I held her close to me and kissed her hair, smiling brightly down at her.

Bella fell asleep on the way to the hotel that night, still in her wedding dress. I didn't even allow Alice to force Bella to change. I was more than eager to have her alone and in my arms. The idea was the only one in my head as I sped down the high way in the Aston Martin.

When we arrived I stopped at the valet. I gave them orders to take our two small bags up to our room ahead of us. I opened Bella's door and sank down to my knees. I placed dozens of cool kisses down her bare arm. She slowly stirred, her head lolling in my direction. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, her lips spreading in a smile. "Was it a dream?"

"If it is, it's the best dream I've ever had." I told her as I took her hand.

When we walked in the lobby Bella turned to go to the front counter but I stopped her. "Everything is ready. I've already got the key." I whispered in her ear. She nodded and walked towards the elevator. I pressed the button for the very top.

I was very grateful to Carlisle for setting this part up for us. It made things so much easier. I suppose he knew how impatient I would be.

When the elevator doors finally chimed open after the twenty floor rise I picked Bella up, bridal style. I walked to one of only two doors on the floor, the one that lead to our private suite. After unlocking the door I carried her over the threshold like the perfect bride she was. She would have to get use to this little action. I'd be doing it a lot more now.

Bella gasped as she surveyed our temporary home. Two days completely alone with Bella sounded like heaven. I would have asked her to stay longer if she didn't have a doctor's appointment on Monday. We were so close to the end now that we couldn't afford to miss any of the appointments. I set her carefully on her feet, letting her go explore the room closer.

"Oh Edward! This is too much! You didn't have to do this for me!" She spun around, a huge smile on her face.

"Do you think I'd take the most special women in the world to a motel six?" I walked to her slowly. I took her hand in mine and pressed it to my lips, kissing each of her knuckles slowly. After kissing her palm carefully I then kissed the ring that now adorn her third finger.

"Edward, could you help me out of my dress?" She asked, her face flushed with her shyness. Bella nibbled on her bottom lip, threatening to chew it off. I needed to stop that before she actually hurt herself.

I brought my lips to hers and kissed them lightly. "There is nothing in this world that I want to do more."

We didn't make love that night, of course. But I touched her in ways I've never done before and she did the same for me. We showed our affections for each other until the sun started peaking over the horizon, making the sky glow a dim blue. Bella slept in my arms in the beautiful sheer nightgown that Alice packed for her with the heater turned up on high so she wouldn't get too cold in my grip. I laid with her in my arms utterly content with the world for this moment.

In the middle of the afternoon I slowly pulled away from her and went over to the phone. I ordered room service for her, picking out breakfast things that I knew she enjoyed. I hung up the phone and sat on the end of the bed, my back turned to Bella. I looked out of the window and watched the rain begin to fall in heavy sheets.

"Hello handsome." Bella whispered, crawling up behind me. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and began to kiss up my neck as her perfect breast pressed against my back. I had to swallow back the desire I was beginning to feel. I knew she had to be tired and most likely sore after all that happened yesterday.

"Good afternoon Mrs. Cullen." I turned my face to the side and kissed her lightly on the cheek. I turned my torso so that I could kiss her lip more easily. The kiss was long and sweet. She sighed when I pulled away, smiling to herself in pleasure. Bella began to pout as I pulled away though.

I went to the bathroom and grabbed a robe. She pouted even more when I put it on. "You don't have to get dressed for me. As a matter of fact..."

"Well, unless you want me to answer the door in my boxers..." I trailed off in the same way she did. A moment later there was a knock on the door. Bella rolled her eyes and pulled the sheet around her body so no one would get a show. I grabbed some money out of my wallet and went to the door.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Cullen." The women smiled brightly at me. She was thinking that she was so glad that she was on room service today and not on front desk like she normally was. She pushed the cart in, revealing the food with more flare than was needed. She looked around the room and smiled at Bella, jealously flowing through her. "Congratulation on your marriage!" She said before taking the money I gave her, shoving it quickly in her pocket but not before noticing that it was a twenty. A little less politely than I needed to, I shoved her out the door and locked it behind me.

"Have I told you that you are the best husband in the world?" She asked as she padded over to the food as quickly as she could. I could hear her tummy rumbling. She picked up a piece of bacon and began to nibble on it, licking her lips slowly in pleasure.

"No, you haven't yet." I pulled a chair out for her so she could be more comfortable. She took the seat gratefully.

"Well, you are." Bella said with a smug little smile, as she gazed up at me.

When she finished eating her rather large meal she crawled back into bed, the sheet still wrapped around her tightly. I removed my robe and laid beside her. She tugged playfully at my boxers, popping them a couple of times. "How did I get so lucky?"

"I was thinking the very same thing." I told her as I pushed the sheet away from her body so I could more fully look down at her beautiful body. Every time I saw it, it took my breath away. I brought her closer to me, having to hold her and touch her.

We spent most that day in bed talking, kissing, cuddling, along with a few other things... Bella fussed at me when I ordered her more food but she stopped arguing when I brought up the baby. She sighed and nodded, but pouted until the food came. She hated when I used the baby against her like that. It was the most effective way to get her to listen though.

"I can think of better things you can do with your mouth." I told her as I ran my thumb over her pouting lips. She gasped at my words and opened her mouth slightly. Bella was still stunned into silence when the knock came. I went to go get the door, rather proud of myself for getting that reaction out of her.

Apparently the maids had fought over bringing the food up here this time. The two women smiled brightly at us, one of them carrying a vase full of flowers that could of easily fit on the cart. There was another maid that wished to come up here as well, but they couldn't think of an excuse that would work.

"Compliments of the hotel." The girl said, walking past me to set the flowers on the bar.

"Thank you very much." I cleared my throat, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Bella was giving them a very evil look and when I made the noise she turned her face away, embarrassed at being caught. I went over to my wallet and fetched some more money but not before I kissed Bella fully on the lips. "I hope you're hungry." I told her in a loud whisper. "I know I've worked up an appetite."

Both of the young women stopped and gawked like fish out of water. I handed them the money and pushed them out the door, much more rudely than I had done earlier. Bella started laughing, dropping into a chair in front of the food. "You're cruel. They can't help but stare at you."

"And, why would they stare?" I asked, sitting in the chair across from her. I pulled her feet onto my lap and began to rub them. She hummed in pleasure, tilting her head back some.

"Because you're beautiful."

I shifted so I was closer to her. "Maybe they just see how happy I am. How happy you make me."

She blushed, smiling to herself. She kept her attention on her food and I let her eat in peace. When she was done I went to the bathroom and flicked on the water to the jacuzzi, making sure it wasn't too hot or cold.

"Mrs. Cullen, would you like to take a bath with me?"

**Longgg chapter, but happy one. I didn't want to go into details of the wedding because it was just a simple and sweet ceremony, just like Bella wanted. And I know some of you wanted me to go into detail about what they did that night, but this isn't that kind of story. **

**Just a reminder, I'm on twitter now. If I get enough followers I may even do previews for my stories. We'll see...**

**Who's ready for bath time?**


	43. Chapter 43

Bella turned fourteen shades of red before climbing carefully into the bathtub with me. She laid her back against my chest, sinking deep into the water as she relaxed. We may not be able to do everything but this was something we could do without any worry. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer to me.

"I am so lucky." I smiled into her hair, smelling her delicious scent. The heat of the water made it so much stronger.

"I'm the lucky one and you can't say otherwise." Bella said in a firm voice. She ran her fingers over my bare thigh, making me shiver in pleasure. Giggling at my reaction, Bella did it again.

"Tease." I muttered, laying my head back against the tub as I tried to calm myself down. Literally.

"You just wait. You'll see what teasing is. You're going to get the best Christmas present in the world, I promise you that." She turned her face towards me, wiggling her eyebrows. I laughed at her silly boldness and tickled her sides. She had no idea how I was counting down the hours since our activities last night.

"I've got you. That's all that matters." I said truthfully, my eyes closing as I relaxed in the water with her hot little body against mine.

"So, if I..." She leaned up and whispered something in my ear that would have made almost any man blush. She pulled away, biting her lip, her face flushed. "You wouldn't enjoy that?"

"Oh...um... uh..." I fumbled with my words. She laughed and kissed my lips lightly.

"Are we speechless?" Bella asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe... " I tilted my head to the side, trying to act uninterested. Apparently it didn't work. She pushed my forehead back with her fingertips, laughing at my reply. Sometimes Bella could read me so well.

"Liar."

I didn't say a word, but simply grinned as I began to kiss her shoulder lightly, pressing my lips against the wet flesh. "Let me try to leave you speechless, my love."

Our time alone ended quicker than I would have liked. That was an understatement. I would have killed to have longer with her like this. We would have this one day. Bella felt the exact same way. As she tried to convince me into rearranging the doctor's appointment to later in the week she almost talked me into it. If I honestly thought we could keep the room another day I would have said yes. She pouted half the way to the doctor's office but finally gave it up when I began to kiss her fingertips slowly and teasingly. It was the perfect distraction.

The doctor's visit was rather uneventful. Bella groaned at her weight gain of course. Her blood pressure was higher than I would have liked but there really wasn't much we could do about it unless we wanted to put her on some sort of medication. At this point we would just have to wait and see. Bella would soon start going every two weeks, much to her annoyance. The best part of the whole visit was when she was able to change her name on the file to 'Isabella Cullen'. Well, the best part in my opinion.

When I pulled up outside our home I heard my family's minds buzzing inside. They were excited about a surprise for Bella. This was growing more and more annoying with the surprises. I always felt outside of the loop now. Was I just that unfocused now? It felt like they could get anything past me now.

"Apparently they want me to cover your eyes." I told her before I helped her out of the car as I heard Alice's mind scream at me. When she heard the words leave my mouth she stopped, finally satisfied.

"Oh, god. What did they do now?" Bella looked slightly panicked at the thought of it. I couldn't blame her. I was a little worried myself but I wasn't going to say that out loud.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. If it's horrible, I promise to make them stop." I told her in a reassuring voice. "Now, why don't you cover your eyes and I'll carry you up the stairs? We will get this over faster this way."

She nodded and closed her eyes, covering them with her hand left hand. I scooped her up in my arms and ran her up the three stories to where my family was. Alice, Esme, and Rosalie blocked the door to Bella's room, their backs pressed against the door. They were grinning ear to ear, completely pleased with themselves.

"We wanted this to be our wedding present to you." Esme said in an overly excited voice, looking over at the other girls before turning her attention back to us.

"Oh, no. What did you do?" Bella asked, her hand still covering her beautiful brown eyes.

"You'll love it! So, hush!" Alice smiled and opened the door. I walked in slowly and gasped at the drastic change that had been made to the room that had once been Bella's.

The room was now pink and white, bordered in pink and white roses along the walls. All the things that Bella picked out was all set up perfectly, all the way down to stuffed animals. The baby's clothes were in the closet, washed, pressed, and ready to wear. Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett were all in the corner, smiling like fools, covered in pink and white paint. I mouthed the words "Thank you" to them. I realized even the carpet under our feet was pink now as I set Bella down to her feet. They must have been working on it the entire time we were gone to have it ready for this moment.

"Bella, open your eyes." I whispered in her ear. Softly, I kissed the lobe, savoring the taste.

She removed her hand slowly and gasped at the sight before her. She started to cry instantly. "Oh it's too much. It's way too much."

"Do you like it?" Alice pranced in and placed a hand on her belly, talking to the baby as much as she was talking to my wife. I grinned at that little fact. She was trying to get a vision about the baby.

"Of course I do! How did you do it?" She hugged my sister so tightly she would have chocked a human.

"We don't sleep, remember?" Emmett laughed from the corner. He had a large smear of white paint over his forehead. Bella laughed through her tears and ran to Emmett in excitement.

He picked her up and swung her around, carefully, if that was even possible for Emmett. When he dropped her to the ground she hugged Carlisle. next "Thank you so much." She whispered to him, her voice cracking with the strain.

"You're my daughter and this is my granddaughter. It was my pleasure." He told her with a smile as she released him from his gently grip. He was more use to handling humans than either of my brothers were.

Next she ran to Jasper. The surprise was written all over his face when she planted a large kiss on his cheek. I stiffened as I waited for his reaction. He smiled and relaxed into her embrace after several painful seconds. "I hope Alice didn't send you to Canada this time."

"No, just Seattle. I would have gone anywhere to see you smile though." He lightly kissed her forehead, his eyes meeting mine for a second to make sure that this was okay. I nodded my head in response.

He dropped her to the ground carefully and Bella ran to my mother and my other sister. She hugged them at the same time, one arm around each of their necks. "I have the best family in the world." Bella sobbed brokenly. Rose laughed and stroked her hair, looking as if she could cry she would. My mother leaned into her hug, putting her head on Bella's shoulder for a minute.

"A mother could never ask for a better women for her son." She whispered in Bella's ear. Bella pulled back, smiling brightly at her words. She leaned over and pecked Esme's cheek lightly.

"One question though." Bella came back to my side. She held my hand tightly, looking down at the carpet shyly. "Where's my bed?"

Alice laughed brightly in response. "Oh, we've rearranged Edward's room. I'm sure he doesn't mind at all."

"Of course not. As long as my music isn't in the garage like the last time you 'rearranged' my stuff, I don't mind at all." I leaned over to Bella, who was giggling at my words. I kissed her cheek lightly. She smiled brightly as she gazed up at me.

"Let's go feed momma!" Alice hopped up and down, still on a major high. She was going to be bouncy for days, I just knew it. She was far too proud of herself.

"Ugh, why do you people think I'm a dog?" Bella complained as she followed behind my sister. Of course she didn't argue that she was hungry. I chuckled to myself, knowing what was about to come next.

"Do you want some dinner or not?" Alice placed a fist on her hip, cocking it to the side dramatically. I had to bite back a laugh. Alice shot me a look before turning her attention back to Bella.

"Well, yeah... but I feel like it's feeding time at the zoo." She muttered, walking slowly down the stairs.

"Hey, Eddie, why don't you go do something else for a while? I've got stuff to talk to Bella about." Alice wrapped her arm around Bella's waist, helping her down each step, making sure that she didn't hurt herself.

"Like what?" Bella raised a cautious eyebrow at her sister. She looked completely worried. I couldn't blame her.

"The baby shower, silly." Alice rolled her eyes, smiling brightly. She already had some major plans running through her evil little head.

"No..." Bella groaned. "What else do I need? You've bought everything this child will probably ever need."

"Nothing but parties are fun! I've never thrown a baby shower before. Please, please, please please?" Alice pleaded, jumping up and down. She reminded me so much like a child. I sighed, shooting a look over to Jasper. I felt so sorry for him at the moment. I wasn't sure how he dealt with her sometimes.

"Fine. Go ahead. As long as I'm sitting I don't care. " Bella mumbled sullenly. She turned her attention to me, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Go, run while you can. Before she gets you involved."

"If you insist." I laughed at her words. I kissed her cheek lightly, letting my lips linger on her skin for a long moment. Alice took my beautiful bride into the kitchen for food. My dear sister knew this was the best way to get what she wanted in the end. I felt extremely sorry for Bella.

I sat at my piano, thinking for a moment. I let my fingers glide over the keys. Ten weeks at the most, probably less, and we'd be carrying our baby girl home. Excitement pricked in the back of my head, I was practically tingling with excitement. There was nothing I wanted to do more. I wanted to hold Bella and our daughter in my arms. The music weaved through air. My song for my child. My child. Carlisle came down from his study and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"Lovely." He smiled at me. "_For Bella or Elizabeth?"_

I didn't say anything as the music continued. I didn't have any words to explain how I really felt. I had never felt this way before. I closed my eyes and didn't open them again until I felt the warmth of my bride beside me.

"That's amazing, Edward." Bella rested her head against my shoulder. "So beautiful," She commented in a breathy sigh.

"Elizabeth's song." I told her, leaning down to kiss the top of her stomach, my hand resting lightly against her hip.

"She's a lucky girl to have a daddy like you." She wrapped her arms around my neck once I sat upright again.

I pulled her onto my lap, taking her hands on hers. I carefully placed her fingers on the keys and began to play a simple song. She laughed, relaxing against me as she let me play with her hands.

"Will you teach me someday?" She asked as the song finished. I nuzzled her neck, just happy to be this close to her.

"I will do anything you wish." I started another song, this time playing with my own hands. Bella remained comfortably on my lap. I began to sing in her ear. "Yeah, I'll tell you something I think you'll understand. When I say that something... I want to hold your hand. I want hold your hand I want hold your hand. Oh please, say to me, you'll let me be your man. And, please say to me you'll let me hold your hand...Now let me hold your hand. I want your hand. And, I touch you I feel happy deep inside. It's such a feeling that I get high..." I whispered the words against her flesh and she giggled at my tickling breath.

"How did I get such a wonderful man?" She turned on my lap and kissed my lips, shutting me up rather effectively. She devoured them hungrily, smiling the entire time. I couldn't help but grin in return.

"You two are too cute." Esme said as she passed, patted my head playfully. I pulled back from my wife and stuck my tongue out at my mother. Esme laughed and returned the gesture childishly. I laughed easily. Laughter and happiness were things that came so easily now. Before it seemed like something that had to be fought for.

"Everything is perfect." Bella said with a sweet smile, her hands on either one of my cheeks.

My stomach clenched at the thought. I was terrified of messing everything up now. I had the perfect, or almost perfect life now. I couldn't keep it like that for forever. This life was a tiny bubble, so easy to pop and fade into nothingness.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Bella noticed my fallen face.

"Nothing, my darling." I lied. She didn't believe me, I could tell. I slid a fake smile into place and pressed my lips to her forehead. She let the subject drop, thankfully.

That night I placed her on our bed, in our room, in our home. I held her tightly to me, breathing in all of her scent. I stole kisses all through the night, whenever she rolled over or shifted. I hummed to her and I held my hand to her stomach just to make sure Elizabeth was still kicking and moving, even though I could hear it.

I listened to the dual heartbeats all night, but they could not easy my bad feeling. They were both mine and I would do whatever I could to keep them safe. I would kill if I had to. She, they, were worth it.

Perfection, unlike diamonds, was not something that lasts forever. Our happiness would end and I knew somehow I would be the cause of it. Or because of what I am.

I couldn't let that happen to my loves, to my life, to my light

**Sorry about the later than normal post. I wanted to finish a couple things up. You know how it is. **

**So, not much longer now... two more chapters and an epilogue!**


	44. Chapter 44

"Oh, my beautiful darling. It's time to wake up." I said in an almost sing song voice in her ear. It was much too early in the morning to honestly be bothering my beautiful wife but Alice insisted. They apparently had so much to do since it was the day of the baby shower. I don't know why they really needed Bella for any of it. She should have just been able to show up, dressed any way she wanted.

Of course, Alice would pick Halloween for the shower. Bella laughed at the idea and agreed to it, surprisingly. I felt like Alice was a silly evil little pixie. At least she wasn't making anyone dress up or doing a theme. I think Bella knew this as well and this was she she agreed to do it.

"I don't wanna and you can't make me." She rolled over to her other side, barely awake to voice her opinion on the matter. Her eyes remained closed tightly. I tugged at the blanket that clamped in her hands gently, hoping to stir her. All it accomplished was me pulling it down her bare legs. She growled and rolled over again, this time towards me. Bella pressed her face into my chest. "It's only eight. Why do I have to get up? It's suppose to be my day."

"Because Alice wants to get you ready. Plus, it gives you some time with your mother. You have to get something to at least munch on before this all happens. The party is at noon." I stroked her back soothingly.

"Can I go _camping_ with you instead?" She spoke into my chest, her eyes still closed.

"No, sorry." I kissed the top of her head with a slight smile. I wish I could bring her along to just camp, but I knew she'd be too uncomfortable.

She growled again as she stepped out of bed but sat back down. Her stomach was high and rounded, her belly button pressing out against her shirt. It looked rather like she was carrying a beach ball underneath her long sleeve shirt. Soon she would start to drop and it would be time. I couldn't wait for that moment.

My sense of foreboding never went away from that night five weeks ago. I kept an eagles eye watch on Bella every second of every day, more careful then I'd ever been before. She noticed, of course, and told me to relax. That was impossible to do when I was so worried about my wife and child. I just knew something was going to go wrong.

Bella finally climbed out of bed completely. She pulled on a pair of sleep pants that were discarded some where in the night. Bella was usually so hot and uncomfortable they were gone within an hour or so. Not that I minded, of course. She stumbled out of the room and I was beside her in a flash. I was carrying her more than ever before. I never wanted her to walk down the stairs without me or one of my siblings now. Those things scared me the most. If she couldn't even see her feet, how was she going to watch her step?

The downstairs area was covered in baby decoration already. White and Pink roses were everywhere in crystal vases as well, not a single spot was undecorated. Bella groaned when I placed her down onto her feet, taking in the _damage_ my sister had done during the night. Pink and white balloons covered most of the ceiling, thin pink and white streamers hanging down.

"Tell me why I'm having a party with dozens of women that I don't know?" Bella asked as we headed into the kitchen, shaking her head.

"Because you wouldn't let Alice invite them for the wedding and now she's getting payback." I told her honestly as I made her a small bowl of cereal, cutting up a banana into it for some kind of fruit. I knew the rest of the day food wise would be completely unhealthy so I might as well sneak it in while I could.

Alice had invited almost every female she'd ever met in this town, including all the nurses that Carlisle worked with, all the women at the police station and a lot of the girls from Forks high, excluding Lauren, of course. It amazed me how many of them agreed to come. Either they were curious about us or women truly were a suckers for babies. I was betting on a mixture of both.

Alice bounced into the kitchen, looking far too chipper for Bella's taste. She frowned, stirring her breakfast with the silver spoon. "Okay, Carlisle and Esme went to pick up your mom from the airport. Emmett is getting the outside ready. Once you finish breakfast you need to hop in the shower and that'll give me and Rose just enough time to get you ready!"

"Pregnant Bella Barbie. Great." Bella said dryly, laying her head on the marble counter top. I rub the back of her neck gingerly, trying to give her some sort of comfort.

"Think of this way... No more parties after this for a while. It'll be at least a year or so." I tried to think of something else that would be more comforting to her but I couldn't come up with anything.

Once Bella was safely tucked away in the shower I went to help Emmett. He was decorating the front porch like a mad man. He had been going at it for hours, or at least it seemed that way to him. He just wanted to hurry up so he could stop."

"You worry me with all that pink." I joked, my hands in my pocket as I leaned against one of the poles holding the porch roof up.

"You know what... You get it easy, Daddy-o. You just have to keep her company until it's time to go. I'll trade you for a while." Her tied the final ribbon around the column, trying to make sure it was a perfect bow. He shrugged his shoulders, not really caring.

"No, thanks. I'll stick with this. I like my job." I grinned widely. I didn't even correct Emmett when he called me Daddy-o anymore. I was starting to like it, in a way.

Carlisle pulled up into the front yard and Renee practically sprang out of the backseat. Her mind was frantic with all the excitement. She hadn't been this excited about anything in years, or at least it seemed that way to her. She was overjoyed.

"Hello, Renee." I hugged her carefully. I held her just the right amount of time so she wouldn't notice the cold. It was easier to touch in the winter time because most humans passed it off as the weather and not the body in front of them.

"How is my beautiful daughter?" She asked, looking for Bella to magically appear at the door way.

"She's well. She's showering right now. I'm sure Rose and Alice would love it if you helped them get her ready." I smiled at her as I pointed out my sister's room after I led her inside.

Jasper appeared from the garage once Renee disappeared up the stairs. I'm sure he was waiting for her to go. "I've got everything packed in the jeep for you guys."

"You're not going camping with us, Jasper?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. He usually didn't pass up a hunting trip for any reason.

_"I'm her special helper." _ I could hear him groan in his head about his wife. I could practically see him roll his eyes as he remembered the small argument they had about this. It was almost comical how quickly she won. I don't know why he bothered to try sometimes.

"Well, someone has to be a man and be around all these baby crazed women." I wrapped an arm around his shoulder, giving him a rather sarcastically comforting squeeze.

"Well, you're the daddy. Why can't it be you?" He rolled his eyes.

"Because apparently I need some 'alone time' before I become a parent. Come on, who better for all that heavy lifting? I'm sure there will be plenty." I patted his head as I teased him.

_"It's good practice, being around all these women._" He thought at me, not wanting to say the words. I nodded, understanding what he meant. He was a little nervous to be around the new baby with it's extreme emotions. This would be perfect time to see if he could handle it. I was positive he could.

"At least they should all be happy." I smiled at him brightly, trying to reassure him somewhat.

"I'm going to have a headache after this, aren't I?" He asked in a pitiful voice.

"Probably, yeah." I slapped his shoulders before running off to check on Bella. If I weren't going to check on Bella, he probably would have punched me for being so damn annoying.

"Mom, stop touching my stomach. Please! It feels weird." I heard Bella complain from behind Alice's door. I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

I knocked on the door before poking my head in. "Everything going well?"

"You've come to rescue me!" Bella said playfully, trying to pull out of Rose's grasp. Rosalie grabbed her by the waist and sat her down in the chair with a heavy plop.

"It won't be so bad." I went in the room and knelt in front of her, taking her hands into my own.

"Then you stay. I'll go with the men." She smiled, some of her good mood finally coming back.

Rosalie was carefully putting Bella's hair up in a complicated pony tail. "Nope. Sorry girl, you're sticking with us."

"I feel like I've joined the dark side." Bella rolled her eyes as Alice squirted her with perfume of some sort. I wrinkled my nose. I much preferred her natural scent.

"Welcome to the dark side! We've got cake!" Alice jumped up and down. I raised an eyebrow in question and she simply smiled and shrugged her shoulders delicately. "I've always liked that shirt."

"Why can I believe that?" Renee laughed, pulling out a shirt for her daughter to wear. Bella wrapped the robe around her tighter, like a protective blanket.

I leaned up and kissed her fully on the lips for a moment. "If you need a thing, call me. I will have my cell on me at all times. If you feel any pain or just want to talk. Anything, Isabella."

"Have a good time." She muttered, sounding slightly depressed. I knew exactly how she felt. I didn't want to leave either, not that I wanted to be part of this party though.

"I'll be thinking of you." I kissed her forehead one last time before going down stairs to join my brothers.

"Let's hit the road before they recruit us, too." Emmett jabbed Jasper in the side playfully.

"I'm going to hide in the study until I'm needed." Jasper growled, getting extremely annoyed with the teasing he was receiving.

"Edward... I LOVE YOU!" Bella shouted from Alice's room. I smiled brightly, just too happy at the moment.

"I love you too, my angels!" I returned just loud enough so she could hear. Carlisle wrapped a n arm around my shoulder, patting it gently.

"I'm so proud of you." He told me, a small smile playing at his lips. "Go on, let get out of here. Go have some fun."

The day was overcast, prefect for us. I wondered how Bella was doing but I decided to wait until at least five o'clock to call. We were only about thirty minutes away but I was still uneasy. I hunted quickly, gorging myself just in case I didn't have a chance to hunt again for a while.

Bella was practically at full term now, less than a week and half from being considered so. The baby's lung were still not quiet ready yet most likely but soon everything would be okay even if she did go into labor right now. She'd deliver soon and we could go come and be a happy family.

Perfection is a like soap bubble. So is happiness.

Those thoughts clouded my mind as I laid on the grass, staring up at the cloud covered sun. I watched the time tick away on my watch, waiting for the second when it turned straight up five. I had to hold myself back from calling before that.

I pressed the number one on my phone and pressed send. Bella picked up on the second ring, thankfully. I didn't think I could handle it if she hadn't of picked up. "Hey handsome."

"Hello, beautiful." I smiled at the sound of her voice, feeling a little bit of relief. "How was the party?"

"Women... are... _crazy_. I've gotten so much more stuff. Like I needed it of course." She laughed happily.

"Did you have a good time?" Her cheerfulness warmed my cold heart, melting some of my insecurities away. Bella had a way of doing that.

"Yes, I'll admit it. I had a good time." She laughed again, sighing softly. "What about you?"

"I'm wishing I was with you, as always. I can't stand to be away from you." I told her honestly, hating how pitiful I sounded.

"I'm sorry, my love. I wish you were here, too. I'm glad I could spare you from the torture of the Mistress of evil." Her voice was completely playful and happy. I was wondering what I was worried about in the first place. I needed to learn to relax.

"Oh, speaking of the head mistress, how is Jasper fairing?"

"He's currently my foot prop." She laughed and I heard her squeal in the background.

"Do I need to come home and make sure my brother isn't stealing my wife?" I tried to sound serious but it simply did not work. Bella was giggling too hard over the phone.

I heard the phone being snatched away from Bella, her laughing harder. " Forget Bella! Man, come save me from all these crazy broads."

"Oh, you're loving it. Stop pretending you're not." I answered him with a laugh. I heard the phone change hands again.

"Go camping and leave us alone. We're busy!" Alice said in a sing song voice.

"Fine fine, let me tell my wife I love her."

"I love you, Daddy." Bella sighed into the phone. I could almost imagine the small smile on her face and the scene that played out around her.

"I love you too, Mommy." I smiled myself and closed my eyes, wishing there was a way I could show her how much I loved her from here. "I'll be home before you wake."

"Goodnight, handsome."

"Goodnight." I whispered into the phone before snapping it shut. I laid back in the grass, placing the phone on my chest. The sky was starting to fade already, the days growing shorter and shorter.

I don't know how long I laid there. A couple hours at the most. Carlisle came and sat with me a while, having a quiet conversation about what I'd do for school after this. Emmett joined us after a while, completely satisfied with himself. He apparently had a good hunt.

The clouds started to float away, exposing the full round moon. It was turning into a beautiful night full of stars. The cool wind whipped around us, sending leaves dancing in the air.

The phone rang while still sitting on my chest. I looked at the caller ID. Alice.

As soon as I opened the phone she was shrieking into it. "Edward! Get to the hospital now! The Baby!"

That was all I needed to hear before I sprang to my feet, running for the car. I didn't even really noticed that my family was behind me until they jumped into the jeep as well.

"What's wrong?" Carlisle asked in a calm voice, obviously trying to calm me down. It was not working.

"Alice said to get the hospital. She just said something about the baby." I said in a quiet voice. My insides were thumping about, my mind buzzing with all the awful possibilities.

"Did she say what was wrong?" Dr. Cullen came into the conversation.

"I... I... I don't know. I didn't listen that long."

I was driving much faster than I should have been, even for me. I pushed the vehicle to the very limited, reaching the hospital in less than ten minutes. I ran inside, leaving my brother and father in the jeep. I followed the voices of their frantic minds, trying to find out where Bella was.

My mother, my sisters, Bella's mother and father, and Jasper were all standing in the waiting room close to the maternity ward. Renee was crying, Rose holding her, hushing her and telling her it would be alright. Esme ran to me as soon as she saw me. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck.

"Oh, Edward..." She whispered, sobbing without tears.

"What's wrong? Where's Bella?!" I asked, frantic at this point.

**I know, I know, hate me for the cliffies... You know you want more though! Just one more chapter left and then the epilogue!**


	45. Chapter 45

"Where is my wife?" I practically roared, pulling away from my mother. I searched for answers in the faces of my family but their minds were blank with surprise and shock. They all looked so sad. All of their thoughts blared in my brain suddenly and I was unable to focus on one at a time. My head throbbed violently.

Jasper stood from his chair and I realized that he was covered in blood, Bella's blood to be exact. It took every bit of strength in my body not to attack him. Blood was covering his shirt and jeans, soaking them completely. He was shaking slightly, Alice holding him tightly around the waist.

"What happen to my wife?" I asked in a forced calm voice. The last thing I needed right now was to be escorted out of the hospital because of my behavior.

"We were sitting in the living room. We were just joking around. All she was doing was sitting on my lap. She was laughing so hard. Bella was so happy" His eyes were sad at the memory._ "I could hear her heart beat increase suddenly and then her blood pressure." _He took a deep breath before continuing. Alice hugged his waist tightly, laying her head on his chest. "She stopped and looked really dizzy. Her eyes went out of focus. She threw up and then started to bleed everywhere. I carried her to the car and drove her as quickly as I could."

Carlisle finally arrived, trying to appear as human as possible. I didn't care as I ran to Bella. My life was nothing without her anyway. They could think whatever they wanted. He ran to a nurse and grabbed her gently by the shoulders. "What is happening with Isabella Cullen?"

The nurse fumbled for a minute and he shook her a little. The woman shook her head, clearing the fog. "She's in surgery right now. Her blood pressure spiked, making her placenta abrupt. We couldn't find the heartbeat of the baby when she arrived so they decided to do an emergency c-section."

Carlisle let the girl go and she stumbled away. He ran to a closet somewhere in the nurses station, looking for something. He grabbed two pairs of scrubs and threw a set to Jasper. "You go change." He pointed him. I could tell at that moment he was extremely worried about his son and his reaction to the blood that covered his body. Jasper simply nodded and ran off into the bathroom. "Edward, I'm going to go check on Bella."

I nodded and slowly sat in the chair. _Poor Bella. Poor Elizabeth._ I looked at my family around me, so sad. Charlie was also in tears as he held his ex-wife. Alice was sunk back down in a chair, her arms around her knees. She was worried about Jasper and Bella. She couldn't have a vision and it scared her.

_Jasper._ How could he have handled this? When did my brother become so strong? Or, was it just because he cared more about Bella than he did his own blood lust? It didn't matter at that second. When this was all over and if everything was alright I would have to do something for him though. Something big. Jasper appeared out of the bathroom and walked in front of me. He looked uncomfortable in the scrubs and he sighed as he neared me. "I'm so sorry."

I stood and hugged him to me. "You did good." I told him in a whisper. "Thank you."

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Cullen, Isabella's husband?" A short stocky woman stood beside us, holding a clip board in her fat little fingers.

"Yes. I am." I said in a nervous voice. I was so flustered that I couldn't pick her thoughts out. They were just a jumble. I hadn't been this unfocused since I was a newborn.

"Mr. Cullen, in situations like these we have to be prepared. We don't believe this will happen but like I said, we have to be prepared. I need you to decide who to save, if it comes down to it." I know her voice meant to be soft but her rubbed my ears raw.

"What do you mean?" I fell back into the seat, running my hand over my face roughly.

"If there is a possibility that both cannot be successfully saved without one mortally harming the other. Who would you like us to care for first?" The woman was becoming antsy with all of this. I could tell she didn't like this part of the job. Not that I could blame her. Who wants to be the person who tells you you have to choose which part of your heart to rip out?

"Bella," I said her name, not even daring to think about Elizabeth not being okay. If I lost Bella I would die though. The woman nodded and gave me the pen. I signed my name blindly, not even looking at the words. She looked as if she was going to say something else but decided against it, walking away quickly.

Esme knelt in front of me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I leaned into her, unable to think or even blink. Her body shook with dry sobs against mine. I pressed my face into her hair and began to cry. I wish I could cry like a human, feeling the liquid leave my eyes might have made me feel a little better. I gasped for air, wishing I could even just smell my wife. I needed to know she was alright.

Carlisle didn't return for fifteen minutes. It was the longest fifteen minutes of my life. He ran to me. I could smell Bella on him, but it was tainted with blood and other things. "She's okay. They're okay. Elizabeth cried but her lungs aren't quiet ready yet. They're going to take her to the NICU. Bella's in recovery. They had to completely sedate her. She won't wake up for a long while." He wrapped me in a hug, holding me to him. His mind simply kept repeating_ "They're okay... They're okay..." _

"When can I see her?" I asked, trying to control my shaking body. I had never felt that kind of relief in my life.

"You can go in now, but they want only one visitor at a time." He patted my shoulder. _"She's in the first room to the right."_

"What about the baby?" Renee spoke for the first time since I arrived at the hospital. Her silence was frightening in a way.

"They're going to do a few tests. We can go up to see her after Ten, after they do shift change. We should let Edward go first though."

I nodded to my father, thanking him quietly. I went down the hall to the room Bella laid helpless in. I pushed the door open and a new strange scent hit my nostrils. I instantly hated it.

Bella was hooked up to several machines, including an IV pumping her full of pain medication. Her beach ball sized stomach was considerable smaller now. I missed the dual heartbeats instantly. Bella's own heartbeat was slow but steady. I took her hand that was free of tubes and began to kiss it. I sobbed again as I watched her lay there unmoving.

Nurses came and went, checking on Bella every once in a while. After the first couple of times they didn't try to speak to me. My face frightened them. I'm sure I could frighten most people right now.

"Edward, son," Carlisle came into the room after about an hour, "we can go see the baby, if you want. They're going to wheel Bella to her room and she should wake up shortly."

I didn't want to leave my wife but I was almost sure I didn't have a choice. I could see that in his mind. I nodded and followed my father wordlessly. I really didn't have that much fight left in me at the moment.

Our entire family was jammed into the small elevator. We did not speak, some of us didn't even breath for that matter. When we arrived at the NICU we all scrubbed in preparation to enter the sterile environment.

Carlisle cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "Let's have Edward go in first, along with the grandparents and in a few minutes Aunts and Uncles can join, okay?" He sent a pointed look towards Alice. She simply nodded in return.

I went in first after my father. He led me over to a clear plastic tub with a plastic top on it. Inside laid a beautiful pink little creature.

She was sleeping, but I could still almost see her irises through her thin eyelids. She so small. Her hair was a soft brown, a lot like Bella's. Her flesh was a pale pink. Her lips were full, just like her mother's. I could not see any of the bastard that did this to Bella. All I saw was my daughter.

I read the card that was taped above the bed. "Girl Cullen. 17Ins 5.5ozs born October 31, 2008 at 7:48pm."

I began to laugh, a little hysterically. I turned to Esme and hugged her tightly to my chest. "Oh my God, she was born on Halloween."

Esme joined in my laughter, hugging me in return. Both Charlie and Renee were too busy looking at their brand new grandchild to notice us. If they did, they would have thought we were crazy, that's for sure.

"She's beautiful, Edward." Carlisle patted my shoulder before going to grab a nurse. He wanted to find out some more information and have the nurse come talk to us as well.

The man happily came over, smiling brightly. "She's doing really well. She's almost breathing 92% on her own. Most likely in the morning she'll be breathing completely on her own. She'll be able to go down to the regular nursery then."

"That's fantastic Skip. I don't know how to thank you." Carlisle smiled at the older gentlemen. The man nodded, walking off to take care of another child.

The rest of my family came in after that. Alice nearly screamed over her new niece. "She's so beautiful! Oh, Lizzy! You're so cute! Oh! Look, Rosalie! She's waking up!"

The baby squirmed in the swaddling cloth and I ached to hold her. I was scared of how she'd react to my cold touch though. I'd have to be very careful with her.

Elizabeth opened her eyes, yawning softly. She scrunched up her nose, her face contorting in the new movement. I placed my hand on the plastic tub, wishing to touch her. My daughter. My beautiful daughter.

"Ten toes and ten fingers. Not bad, huh?" Emmett patted my shoulder hard. I smiled up at him, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I had to stop myself from touching her at this point. The urge was so strong.

Alice placed her tiny hand on the small of my back. _"Edward, Bella will be waking up in about ten minutes. I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner. Less than a minute before it happened did I have the vision."_

"It's alright." I told her in a whisper that only she could hear. I turned to my family. "I'm going to see Bella."

As I walked out I heard the words, "Does anyone have a camera?," come from Charlie's mouth.

I took the stairs, going as fast as I could since they were empty. I was by Bella's side in less than two minutes, holding and stroking her hand. I counted every second until I knew she'd be awake.

Her eyes fluttered open and she turned her head to either side. "Where am I?"

"The hospital." I told her in a soft voice, kissing her hand lightly.

She tried to sit up but was unable. Her other hand went to her stomach, searching for what wasn't there anymore. She started to cry instantly and I could tell that caused her pain. "Where is Elizabeth?"

"She's okay. She's in the NICU for right now. They said she was doing great and would most likely be in the regular nursery in the morning." I ran my finger over her cheek, rubbing the tears away.

"Edward, I was so scared. I've never felt pain like that in my life. It felt like something tore inside of me and I just started to feel the blood run down the back of my knees... and... and..." She sputtered through the tears, starting to gasp wildly for air.

"Bella, shh... Everything is okay. I'm here now. Calm down." I scooted in bed with her, taking just the very edge. I placed my arm around her shoulders, holding her carefully to me.

"I bled all over Jasper. He was shaking. And, I think I ruined Carlisle's car's seats." She babbled again. Her heart rate was increasing, causing the machine next to us to go wild.

"If you don't hush I'm going to call the nurse to sedate you again." I spoke against her temple before I kissed her.

"What does she look like?" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was so tired and in so much pain and I could tell she was trying to think of happier things. The last thing Bella wanted was to be knocked out again.

"She's as beautiful as her mother." I couldn't help but smile when I thought about her, sleeping above our heads with our families watching over her happily.

"Does she look...?" She trailed off, not finishing her sentence. It was not hard to figure out what she was asking.

"Not a single bit. Bella, she's perfection. I've never seen such a beautiful little creature." I pushed her sweaty hair out of her face. She nodded and leaned back against the pillows as she took a deep breath. "Go to sleep. I'll make sure you see her in the morning. The hardest part is over." I hummed her lullaby, holding her while she fell asleep beside me. It didn't take very long.

I watched her the entire night, the nurses giving me small smiles when they checked on her. I felt rather bad for hording her all to myself, but my family and hers, understood. At around six in the morning a nurse with a baby themed scrubs came into the room. "Mr. Cullen, we're bringing your daughter down to the nursery. When your wife is ready we'll bring her in."

I nodded, slowly pulling away from Bella, careful not to wake her. Across the hall every single member of my family was pressed against the glass. Apparently, she'd already made it down.

"Is Bella awake yet?" Renee asked, her eyes never moving from the baby.

"Not yet, she'll be soon I'm sure." I smiled slightly at her. Charlie placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You're a good man, Edward." I could see the sincerity in his eyes and his mind as he spoke. I wasn't sure where it came from, but I wasn't going to question that right now.

"Thank you, Chief Swan." I said in a small voice.

I could hear the rustling of the blankets from Bella's room and turned to go check on her. An orderly had stuck a tray full of liquids in her room that smelled horrid. Bella was shifting uncomfortable in her bed as she tried to sit up.

"Good morning Love. How are you feeling?" I sat at the end of her bed, rubbing her ankle gently.

"Like a mac truck ran me over." She groaned, leaning her head back against the pillow.

"Well, hopefully I can fix that." Dr. Vox came in, smiling to herself. She was obviously a morning person where Bella was not. "We're going to go ahead and remove the IV and start you on a dose of oral pain killers. We're going to keep you in the hospital for a couple days to make sure no infection sets in. Now, I don't know if you've noticed or not but we did a bikini cut, about six inches long. You have about twenty staples, which we'll be removing in about a week."

Bella nodded but I knew she didn't take any of it in. Good thing I was there to listen. "Is there anything special we need to do?" I asked the doctor.

"In a couple hours I want you to start moving around, Edward if you can help her that would be good. You'll heal faster that way. There is some more stuff that you'll have to do but it's nothing major. The nurse will come in and talk to you about it. It's mainly paperwork."

It's amazing what a difference three days can make. I cradled Elizabeth in my arms, bouncing her slightly while I fed her. She sucked at the bottle in her sleep, taking in the liquid greedily. Bella smiled at me from her hospital bed, now in her own clothing. Though she hadn't lost all of her baby weight, she certainly didn't appear pregnant anymore.

"I'm so glad we're going home today." She commented as she carefully got off the bed. Bella was still moving pretty slowly. She walked towards me, a large smile playing at her lips. She pushed a strand of hair from my eyes since my hands were busy.

"Good morning you two!" One of the morning nurses came in, holding several forms in her chubby little fingers. "Well, all we need to do now is fill out your discharge papers and the birth certificate and you're free to go!" She said cheerfully. I really liked this woman. You could tell she enjoyed her job.

Bella signed a few different forms and stuck the paper's for her prescriptions into her pants pocket for later. The final sheet was the birth certificate. She paused, looking over it carefully. I walked to her side, still holding Elizabeth in my arms. I sat on the bed, resting my head on her shoulder as I watched her fill in some of the blanks.

**Name : Elizabeth Masen Cullen**

**D.O.B.: October 31, 2008**

**Time: 7:48 pm**

**Doctor: Dr. L.A. Vox, OB/GYN **

**Mother: Isabella M. S. Cullen**

**Father: Edward A. Cullen**

I grinned like a fool as I watched her write my name. She signed the bottom carefully and then took Elizabeth from my arms. She cooed happily at the baby, bouncing her against her chest. Bella glanced over at the pen then at me. I took it into my fingers and gazed down at the simple piece of paper.

What difference does a piece of paper make?_ A world of._

I signed my name and checked to make sure everything was filled in properly. I passed it to the nurse when I was done. The women glanced over it, nodding before she left.

I sat fully on the bed and pulled Bella into my lap while she was still holding our child. Our beautiful little child. I kissed Bella's neck lightly. At that moment I could have cried I was so happy. I had never felt this kind of joy in my life.

"Are you ready to start the rest of our lives?" I asked her, brushing her hair over the other shoulder.

"I've been ready for so long." She replied as she stood. Bella carried the baby over to the car seat waiting in the corner of the room, carefully strapping her in. I took the car seat in one hand, taking the baby bag in the other.

"They're all waiting for us and they're armed with cameras." I nodded, referring to the mob that consisted of our families in the waiting room. "Are you sure you're ready?"

"As long as I have you, I'll always be ready for anything."

**Awww... the end! But, there is an epilogue left. Who wants to see it?!**


	46. Chapter 46

_**I want to thank everyone that has given me reviews and feedback on this story. Thank you also for baring with me on the time thing. I never expected it to take this long. **_

**Five years later**

I peered over at my beautiful young wife. Even death could not steal her beauty but it simply enhance it even more. Standing between us was are very much alive, very much excited now five year old daughter.

Truthfully, I would have never dressed like this, even if Bella begged me when she was a human but for Liz I would do anything. I was wrapped around her tiny little fingers. So there I was, dressed in a Halloween costume, walking towards our old family home in Forks, Washington.

"Auntie Alice is kind of crazy, isn't she daddy?" Lizzy asked in a small voice, like she knew that Alice could hear her if she spoke anymore loudly.

Elizabeth was perfect. Healthy and strong, with a wild happy spirit and a bright mind. She never shied away from me, or the rest of her strange vampire, but clung to it just as strongly as her mother. And, just like her mother I could not hear her thoughts. I was grateful and annoyed by that, all at the same time. It would have been so much easier when she was a toddler and was having a fit over something.

My daughter was dressed as a witch in bright orange and purples, practically everything handmade just for her by her crazy Aunt. She had glitter everywhere, including on Bella and myself. She wore a purple pointed witch hat and stripped orange stockings with shiny patten leather shoes to top it all off. I doubted anyone could top this costume.

"Only a little," I winked at her, and she laughed wildly, her tiny head going back. Bella gazed at me over the top of her head, giving me a smile and blowing me a kiss. She was too sexy in her red flapper costume.

Yes, only for Liz and Bella would I dress up like a 1920's gangster, complete with pin stripped suit and hat. I felt like an idiot but if it made them smile, I would do it.

Alice always went overboard with the themed birthday parties. The house was decorated to the nines. Not an hour later would this place be filled with screaming children and parents with headaches. My dear sister flung the door open and ran to the porch, just as excited as the child beside us. Liz let go of my fingers and ran to her aunt, who was dressed as a civil war era woman completely with hoop skirt. Poor Jasper must have been a soldier. I wonder how she talked him into it. She probably just brought up Liz and made him fold.

"Do you like it, my pretty little witch?" Alice spun her around. Liz's legs wrapped around her waist, holding on tightly.

"You're awesome!" She giggled before hopping down when she saw my brother, in soldier costume, come to the doorway. "UNCLE JAZZ!" She screamed, running into Jasper's arms. He picked her up, flinging her legs into the air.

"Well, I guess I know who the favorite is." I laughed, taking my wife's hand as we entered the house.

Seeing Liz being held by Jasper in this living room always made me think of day Bella changed. Sadness always prickled at my brain, but never for long. I knew it worked out for the best in the end.

_Bella made me stick to my word. Exactly a year and a half after Elizabeth was born we had our things packed and put into the car for our journey to Alaska. Bella sat on the couch, watching Jasper play horsey with Liz on the floor. Bella didn't say a word but the tears flowed down her cheeks heavily._

_"We don't have to do this." I touched her shoulder. "Bella, we can-"_

_"I want this. I want to be with you for forever. This is the only way. We won't be away from her long." She said through the tears, refusing to look at me as she spoke. _

_"Bella, I don't want to." I told her honestly. My wife shot me a glare that I had seen all to often when we had this conversation. _

_"Fine, Carlisle will, if not Rosalie or Alice." She said in an angry tone. Liz noticed and wobbled her way to her. She never liked her mother mad. _

_"Momma up!" She asked, putting her arms in the air and flexing her tiny little fat fingers. Bella complied, pressing her cheek against her daughter's simply to feel her warmth._

_"I will do it but I don't want to. I never have and never will." I told Bella for the millionth time, as I touched Elizabeth's curly brown hair. I ran my fingers through it slowly, missing her already and we hadn't even left yet._

_"The sooner we do this, the sooner we get back." She handed our daughter back to Jasper before she could change her mind, after placing a kiss on her chubby little cheek. "Mommy loves you and we will see you soon. Will you be good for Grammy Esme and Paw paw Carlisle?"_

_"NO!" The baby grinned after she shouted. It was her favorite word besides cookie. She obviously didn't know what she said but laughed happily as she tugged at Jasper's blond locks. It probably would have hurt a human, but it simply mad him smile at the child._

_Bella laughed once, touching her daughter's hair once more. I walked over and placed a small kiss on the top of her head. Afterwards, I took Bella's hand and brought it to my lips, lightly kissing it. _

_"We won't be away long." She repeated, trying to convince herself of that fact. _

_She was right, of course. We were gone less than three months. Of course there were phone calls, emails, pictures and web cams, which did help. Blood lust never seemed like a problem for Bella though. She knew what to expect. And though her looks changed, her personality changed little. We would have come home sooner if we'd realized what her ability really was. It didn't take Carlisle twenty minutes to figure it out once he came to visit us. I felt like an idiot for not catching on sooner. Carlisle tried to assure me that he had simply had more experience with this sort of this after his time with the Volturi. _

And, two and a half years after our daughter was born we moved away from my family's home. I'm not sure if it was harder for Bella, Elizabeth or myself. We had our own home now, with our own lives. There wasn't a day we didn't see my family though. Esme watched Liz while Bella and I were in class, until Elizabeth herself started school. I knew Esme missed this time. If she could have, she would have been begging for more grandchildren to spoil. I wished I could give them to her.

I was well on my way to my third medical degree now, this time focusing on pediatrics. I figured it would come in handy. Bella was about to receive her bachelors in psychology. She wanted to be able to help others deal with the same thing she went through. She wasn't afraid anymore. Bella had no reason to be.

"Daddy!" Elizabeth tugged me out of my thoughts. I scooped her up into my arms, lifting her so that we were eye to eye.

"Yes, princess?" I smiled at her happily.

"Daddy, can I be a vampire like you?" She tugged at the collar of my shirt, her tiny fingers crawling over my face. She loved how I felt cool to her, how my skin was soft yet so strong.

"Now, what makes you think I'm a vampire?" I asked, raising a playful eyebrow at her. She giggled and kissed my nose, smashing her face into mine while pressing her hands against my cheeks

"Don't be silly, Daddy. I heard aunt Rosie talking to uncle Em! She said I was meant to be a vampire just like the rest of the family! I want to be a vampire!" She tugged at my hair, her curious eyes gazing at her fingers as she twisted the coppery locks.

"Oh, did she now?" I spun her around before tickling her sides. I needed to distract myself from my anger."Well, I need to talk to aunt Rosie about having such a big mouth."

Of course, Elizabeth always knew we were different from a very very young age. When she asked Grandpa Charlie why he didn't sparkle at three years old, I almost choked on my own venom. Charlie shrugged it off with a laugh, telling her that it was because he wasn't shiny. His thoughts were simply 'kids say the darnedest things.'

Charlie and Renee saw the change in Bella but assumed it was the fact that motherhood and adulthood agree with her. They never said anything more than "you're looking lovely" or something along those lines out loud. Bella always wore contacts around her parents, making her eyes a deep brown. It was the only thing that would give her completely away. She wore them for me too, sometimes. She knew I missed them sometimes.

As the costume clad children and parents began to fill the house, the laughter and the noise increased. Emmett and Rosalie arrived, one dressed as a football player and the other as a cheerleader. I gave them both a nasty look and they simply ignored me. They usually did when it came to Liz. I was overprotective. What could I say? I was a normal father.

Dr. Carlisle entertained the children, doing 'magic tricks' with his nurse, Esme. The children would laugh and clap when he'd make something disappear. Bella and I watched from the corner of the room, my arms wrapped around her waist as my father made a soda can into a ball. He impressed even the parents, half of which wondered if he ordered the special can from online and the other half just enjoying themselves.

"How did I get so lucky?" Bella asked suddenly, turning her face towards me. I kissed her lips softly, tasting her cool sweetness.

"I was thinking the same thing." I told her with a grin.

Charlie arrived, still in his uniform and dropped a pile of presents off at the gift table. The mountain of things wrapped in paper and stuck in bags was staggering. It's not like she needed more toys anyway. He waved at us before finding Liz in the center of the room, placing a kiss on her forehead.

The night was a giant success. Every child left with a massive amount of candy, since they didn't go trick-or-treating. To say Elizabeth was the most popular girl in kindergarten would be an understatement right now. It was around ten O'clock at night and the beautiful child was asleep on the couch in the living room. Wrapping paper was everywhere, as was confetti and glitter. It would take hours to clean it all up.

"Did you have a good time?" Alice stopped her cleaning, watching me for a minute curiously.

"Yes. Elizabeth really enjoyed it. Thank you." I smiled at her, letting out a deep happy sigh.

"It was my pleasure!" Alice giggled. My sister walked to the front of the couch, smiling down at the sleep child who let out a small shiver and hugged the throw pillow tighter. She ran to Liz's room and fetched a small pink throw blanket, carefully covering the sleeping girl.

She stopped dead, her eyes glazing over as something began to swirl in her mind.

Elizabeth at eighteen, beautiful, tall and strong. And, very much dead.

_"Daddy, can I be a vampire like you?" _

**I love this epilogue... but... I wrote an alternative one too that I just happen to love. Does anyone want to see it? If you want to see a little preview of it, add me on twitter! I promise you won't be disappointed.**


	47. Chapter 47

**This is the alternative epilogue!**

_**December thirty first**_

I hovered over my beautiful wife's body, completely nude. It was not the first time we had been nude together, or even in this position, but never had we actually intended to do... _this_. Sexual intercourse. Sex. We were going to have sex, finally._ Finally._

I was elated and terrified at the same time.

I loved being able to give her pleasure with my mouth, hands, tongue, and well, with anything else I could. And, I loved the amazing things she did to me, but I still wasn't sure about this. I was so much stronger than her. I could crush her so easily. She was a piece of glass and I felt like I was a hammer about to break her to bits. Fear coursed through me once more.

I had been so deep in thought that I forgot where I was until I heard a soft giggle and felt her fingers trailing through my hair. "Edward..." Bella said in a teasing voice. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just nervous." I said, softly kissing her lips.

Bella sighed heavily, rolling her eyes at my words. We had gone over this before, many times, and she knew where I stood on the matter. I didn't see why we have to push when we could do other things that we both could equally enjoy until I knew I could not hurt her. Bella thought I was being silly. Maybe she was right, maybe not. I just felt like I couldn't take the chance.

"Edward, you won't hurt me." She repeated like so many times before. "I trust you."

"You say that..."

She sighed again, "I say it because it's true. Edward, I want to feel you. I want us to be man and wife, completely. I am completely healed and we are married. There should be nothing stopping you."

"Yes, there should be. The fact that I am a-" I began but she cut me off before I could finish the sentence.

"Say monster." She said in a flat, almost angry tone. "I dare you to."

It was my turn to sigh softly. "Fine, but that doesn't change the fact that I _can _and most likely_ will_ hurt you."

Bella did something then that surprised me. She pushed on my shoulder, signaling that she wanted me to sit up. I did so, relieved that she was finally listening to some kind of reason. I sat back against the hotel's headboard, my hands on either side of me as I laid my head back against the wood and taking in a deep breath. Instead of sitting beside me though, she straddled my waist. Placing both of her hands on my shoulders, Bella settled herself on my lap. "I want to make love to you." She stated simply.

"I want that too, I just-"

She shut me up with a kiss, tilting my face forward with both hands on my cheeks. Bella almost always knew the best ways to make me quiet. I groaned against her mouth, my hands going to her slender and bare waist. It was so soft and warm against the palms of my hands that it was torture. She moved her pouty lips to my ear, her hands running up and down my chest sensually. "Edward, I've been thinking about this night for months. I keep imagining the way you're going to feel inside of me, how amazing it's going to feel. I want to be yours completely. Make me yours. Please, Edward. I need you."

"Dammit," I sighed to myself, grabbing her by the waist and flipping her over onto her back. I knew there was no way I could not give into her now. I had to. I needed to. I wanted to, honestly. Instantly, I was on top of her and in between her legs. I pressed my hardened arousal at her warm and wet entrance, showing her what she did to me with her words. "I can't hurt you. I'll die if I do." I warned her quietly, looking deeply into her large brown eyes.

"You won't. Please," she whimpered softly, her eyes half lidded as she lifted up to kiss me softly on the lips. I pressed my lips against hers, enjoying the hot silk against me. "Please," she said against my lips again.

She was begging me for this. I wanted it just as badly. I wanted her more than anything in this world. So, I did the only thing I could at that moment. The thing I knew I would do in the end.

I gave in.

_**January thirty first**_

I had Liz almost all to myself today. It was a rare thing. The rest of the family was out in some way and Bella and Alice had decided to go shopping, surprisingly at Bella's suggestion. I thought it was a little odd, but I didn't say anything about that. I didn't think it was a good idea though that she was going out when she was sick, but Bella insisted that she was fine, so after a few minutes of arguing, I let her be. She was going to get her way anyway, I knew that in the end. It always seemed to be that way.

So, I sat on the floor of Elizabeth's bedroom on the rug and helped her sit up by holding her hands gently. She had discovered funny faces and was practically on the verge of laughter. She had started to smile and gurgle, and every once in a while a squeal would come out, but it wasn't that little laugh yet. I wanted to hear it so badly. I wanted to be the one to make my daughter laugh for the first time.

"Who's my beautiful baby girl?" I cooed at her, making my cheeks puff out, making a sputtering noise afterwards. She smiled widely. I wish I could see what she was thinking, but just like her mother, her thoughts were blocked from me. She'd be thankful for that when she was a teenager. I made the noise again and her smile grew more. "Lizzy is my pretty girl." I said in a baby tone, leaning down to scatter light kisses over her hot little chubby face. Liz gurgled, her head lulling back. She was generally good at keeping her head up, but sometimes her neck control wasn't the greatest. Especially when she was tired.

We played for a few more minutes before she began to yawn, one right after the other. I could tell it was getting closer to her bedtime so I laid her down on the soft mattress, pulling the blanket over her. I stood over her a few minutes, smiling as I stroked her hair as she fell into a deep sleep. She was just like her mother, such a hard sleeper.

I don't know how long I had been gazing down at my child when I heard Bella come inside. Alice, for some reason, was not with her. Bella's heart was frantic as she came up the stairs, sounding as if she was taking them two at a time. I came down to meet her in the middle, going as fast as I can. I surprised her, and she gasped, placing a hand over her heart.

"What's the matter, love?" I asked, placing my hands on her face. She looked so flustered.

Bella shook her head before clearing her throat. "Nothing is the matter."

"Where's Alice?" I asked, not believing her. "What did she-"

"She wanted to give us some privacy." Bella took a deep breath before biting her bottom lip. "Edward, can we go to the bedroom? I need to talk to you."

I scooped her up instantly and took her towards her room. Surprisingly, she didn't argue, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck. "What's wrong?" I asked softly as I sat her down on the leather couch. I sat on the floor in front of her, placing my hands on her knees as I gazed up at her imploringly.

Bella licked her lips slowly. I could tell she was thinking out each word carefully before she spoke them. "Edward, I'm late."

"What do you mean late?" I said, stupidly looking at the clock. Bella placed her hand on my cheek, making me look at her again.

"No. I'm late and I went with Alice this afternoon to get a pregnancy test."

"A pregnancy test?" I said the words slowly, confused.

"Yes," she said, her hand still on my cheek. "Edward, I'm pregnant."

Not five seconds after the words left her mouth the tiny cry of Elizabeth began to ring in my ears, echoing through the monitor we kept in our room for Bella's sake. I couldn't move, I couldn't breath, I couldn't think. The words filtered slowly.

Pregnant? How? That was not possible. Not at all possible.

My eyes went out of focus as my mind put all the attention on that single word._ Pregnant. _

It could have been seconds, it could have been hours. I had no idea. But, after a while I felt warmth against me, forcing me back. The crying had stopped I noticed. Bella probably went to sooth Elizabeth back to sleep before coming to me again. "That's not-"

"I took five tests, Edward. They're all positive." She whispered. "Alice is going to get Carlisle at the hospital so he can double check."

I touched her stomach, feeling the tale-tell hardness underneath my fingertips. My hand instantly fell to my side and my eyes went out of focus again, my mind going completely blank.

This was never even a consideration. I didn't even know it was a possibility. If I had, I would have- Honestly, I don't know what I would have done. I wasn't sure what I thought about this.

I felt the heat against my face this time. I realized slowly that it was one of Bella's hand and her lips against my cheeks. Her soft lips were pulled up into a smile. "Edward, I'm going to have your baby!"

**So, which epilogue is more of a tease, this one or the original? I know I know, I hear screaming for a sequel all around. All I will say is we'll see. BUT I do suggest that you put me on author alerts because I have a ton more stories coming soon! **

**I want to thank everyone that reviewed and enjoyed this story. Thank you for humoring me. **

**For those who want to know.... here was a grand total of 31313 added words of detail! Dead serious. I'm not counting the alternative epilogue, just the original story. Funny, huh?**

**So, did you like it?**


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